


Writer's Block - Extended Cut

by famousfremus



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, Fandom4LLS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-04
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-02-28 03:56:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2717933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/famousfremus/pseuds/famousfremus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haymitch is a world famous writer who doesn't like to follow the rules. Effie is a ‘problem solver’ sent by his publishing house to enforce those rules. Will her impeccable manners tame the savage beast or will his gruff ways be the key to her heart?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All Hunger Games characters, situations, and lines of dialogue used in this story are the property of Suzanne Collins.

__

 

_“Fire is catching!  And if we burn, you burn with us!” The Tribute from District 12, the so-called Mockingjay, shouts into the camera as an indictment against the horrors wrought by The Capitol.  As the propos fades to black everyone across Panem can feel the change in the air, the subtle shift as the sparks of rebellion begin to catch.  The only thing to do now is to wait to see if those sparks will ignite and grow or sputter and fade under the cold frost of tyranny.  The leaders of the growing rebellion know that only the Mockingjay can fan the flames into an inferno that will unite the country to the common cause – freedom.  The question is – does she have the strength to fly or will her wings be clipped?_

 

Effie Trinket re-read the last lines of _Pearls from Coal_ , then slowly closed the book with a sigh and placed it on the shelf with the other eleven books in the _Tributes of Panem_ series.  She hadn’t expected to like the insanely popular YA series, but to her delighted surprise she devoured book one – _Jewels of the District_ – and proceeded to read the rest of them over the last week, stopping only when her eyes watered, and the words began to blur across the pages. 

 

Settling back on the couch, Effie rubbed her tired eyes, and picked up the manila folder lying next to her on the on the purple suede cushion.  The Snow Publishing logo was embossed on the front – a pure white rose with a serpent winding around it’s thorny stem – and opened it to review what little was known about the elusive author that was her next assignment.   Most of the information was already imprinted in Effie’s mind, but being almost fanatical in her thoroughness, she proceeded to read it all over again for good measure.

 

Her cornflower blue eyes skimmed the information contained in the dossier. The series was the brainchild of one Haymitch Abernathy, a then unknown author who rose to meteoric fame with the release of _Jewels_ , and has since become something of an enigma in the publishing world.  Haymitch has notoriously never granted an interview to discuss the books, or himself, and all contact between him and Snow Publishing is conducted via his legal team of Heavensbee, Cardew & Boggs LLP.   In fact, the rough draft of the original manuscript had been submitted to Snow Publishing by them; along with an incredible list of demands should Mr. Abernathy decide to sign a contract.  Some of those demands included retaining the majority ownership rights to the intellectual property in all forms – including, but not limited to – print, audio, visual, and online.  In an unprecedented move, he also retained the rights to any and all merchandising that could arise from the series, with a small stipend to be given to the publishing house as a retainer of sorts.

 

Most of the publishers the manuscript was submitted to had scoffed at the list of outrageous demands set forth in the cover letter and rejected it without reading.  The common consensus was that Haymitch was an uncouth upstart, and how dare he presume to ask them to give up so much potential profit in exchange for the rights to something that may end up being complete rubbish.

 

At the time, Snow Publishing was new to the world of books, and was struggling to make a name for itself in the publishing world.  The staff was under strict orders to read everything that landed on their desk, and base their decision of whether or not to purchase on the author’s future potential, rather than just on the quality of what they’d submitted. 

 

It was in this manner that Haymitch’s rough draft of _Jewels of the District_ ended up on the desk of Seneca Crane.  At the time, he was a copy editor for non-fiction under Cornelius Snow, and was eager to find the next big thing in literature to prove he had what it took to move up to the fast-paced world of fiction.  He was initially shocked by the list of demands in the cover letter, and almost threw it in the reject bin out of hand, but curiosity won out in in the end.  Besides, Seneca figured anyone with that much audacity had to have something to back it up.  And of course, he had his orders to read anything and everything that crossed his desk.   

 

Legend had it that when Seneca finally put down the manuscript four hours later, he immediately called the Snow Publishing in-house legal team and demanded they draw up a contract right away.  He knew by the fact that he’d read it straight through without so much as a bathroom break, that he had in his hands something special.  Not only was the rough draft almost good enough to publish in its current condition, but the potential for the other books the cover letter had hinted at made dollar signs dance in front of Seneca’s eyes.   He knew signing this author would be his entrée into the upper echelon of the publishing world and he begged the company to sign him. 

 

Naturally, the senior editors were skeptical, and not just because of the demands.  It was a rough draft from someone no one had ever heard of and even though there was the hint of more books to come, who knew how if they’d be of the same quality as the original.  It was a big risk, but one Seneca was willing to take.  He made a deal with them – sign Abernathy and if the book didn’t perform, or the subsequent novels were not up to par, or there were issues of any kind, he would pay back all of the money the firm lost on the contract.  Cornelius Snow loved a good bet, especially when there was the potential of a life being ruined, so after a modicum of deliberation he agreed to Seneca’s terms, and the offer was sent to Plutarch Heavensbee.  As a precaution, Snow also had a legal agreement drawn up between him and Seneca regarding the repayment should Haymitch’s books not live up to expectations.  It was left open-ended, since they didn’t have a time-frame for when the remaining books to be written.  Seneca, who had no doubts with regard to Haymitch’s untested talent, signed on the dotted line with a flourish.   It was a decision that would come back to haunt him 12 books and 15 years later.  

 

Effie had heard this story many times over the last few years after coming to Snow Publishing from a large PR firm elsewhere in the city.  She was widely known for her impeccable manners, and her ability to handle difficult clients with charm and grace.  Cornelius Snow hired her specifically to be a “problem solver” of sorts for the authors who felt they weren’t getting their fair share of attention from the editors, or were holding out on deadlines, contract renegotiations, or just generally being thorns in the company’s side.  Her job was to wine and dine them, soothe their egos and get them to finish the book, sign the contract or do the interview, whatever the case may be.  She was jokingly referred to as ‘The Escort’ by the other staff because of how she basically held the hand of the author through the entire process and often times literally escorted their work to the office.  She was saved for the more troublesome of the firm’s stable of authors but as of yet had not had the opportunity to deal with Haymitch Abernathy.   

 

Also included in the thin file were the mediocre results of Snow’s obligatory background check on Haymitch.  Effie flipped through the short report, non-plussed by the fact that not much was known about the famously reclusive author, other than the name of his attorney’s.  Public Records noted that he owned 150 acres of mostly woodland in the hills of Kentucky but it was unknown if there was a house or any other structures on the property.  Even online satellite searches of the address turned up empty, with blurry images of forests and fields where one would assume a house to be.  There were no bank accounts or credit cards in his name and no loans or liens; no financial records of any sort.  He didn’t have a driver’s license, and no passport on file with the U.S. Government.  Other than a Social Security Number, there were no other documents on any file anywhere to prove that Haymitch Abernathy even existed.  Not even a birth certificate that would have at least provided a link to family.  

 

According to an internet search of the multitude of fan-sites devoted to Haymitch and the _Tribute_ series, urban legend was that he lived in a shack on one of his many acres, and could be seen in town selling his home-brewed moonshine commonly known as white liquor.  There were also tales that he had a strange preoccupation with geese, and kept a flock on his property, although if they were for hunting or eating was unknown and a subject of heated debate.  It was even rumored that he’d been married once but she’d either left him or died while he was in “the war” (which war was never specified).  Effie’s favorite conspiracy theory was that ‘Haymitch Abernathy’ didn’t really exist at all, and was really the pseudonym used by an alien being marooned here on Earth.  The books were purported to be a coded message to his home world stating when and where he could be found by the mother ship. 

 

The only other item in the file was a copy of the publicity still that was used for the dust jackets of all the books.  It has never been confirmed to actually be a photo of Haymitch since no one ever met him, but since it was provided by his attorney with explicit instructions to use it for all promotional material Seneca had no choice but to go with it.  Effie spent a lot of time looking at that photo and she’d come to the conclusion that if it weren’t really Haymitch then someone did a very good job of recreating what a drunken reclusive author should look like – medium build, wrinkled blue oxford button-down shirt, greasy black hair that hung below the ears, skin that had the pallor of someone who has never seen the sun – like a death row inmate - and a scowl that looked to be permanently etched into his face. 

 

Despite the fact that he looked to be three days into a world-class bender, his eyes were surprisingly sharp and focused.  The intriguing mix of colors – grey near the pupil with hints of light blue throughout, all rimmed in green – was mesmerizing, even in a photo.  His enigmatic gaze seemed to jump off the page to penetrate deep into your soul, and Effie found herself getting lost in them every time she looked at the photo.

 

‘ _Lord, if a photo is this hypnotizing, what must they be like in person?’_ Effie thought to herself, not for the first time, as she pinned the photo in place at the back of the file.

 

She closed the folder with another sigh, and slipped it into the caramel leather attaché case resting on the coffee table to bring with her to the office in the morning.  A glance at the clock revealed it was now well after midnight, so with a yawn Effie slid into bed, turning off the light before settling between the crisp cotton sheets.

 

It wasn’t long before she was fast asleep; her mind filled with images of children battling one another to certain death as a large black bird with white spots under its wings flew overhead and a war-torn landscape where the poor huddled together for warmth and shelter. In the distance was a glittering city filled with vain uncaring faces who cheered as the children fought and through it all, the flash of quicksilver eyes that seemed to bore into her very soul.    

_hehehehehe_

The next morning, Effie arrived at Snow Publishing promptly at 8:00 and was in her small corner office by 8:10.  She was always on time, and considered lateness to be the height of bad manners. 

 

She hung up her raincoat and stashed her things in the bottom left drawer of her polished mahogany desk.  Her black leather chair creaked as she sat, and booted up her computer to sync her calendar and check her emails.  She skimmed through the notifications, deleting the junk her spam filter didn’t catch, and flagging the ones that needed attention, but not immediately.  There were a few that could be dealt with quickly but overall there was nothing too pressing. 

 

The soft _‘ding’_ from her computer pulled Effie from her email perusal as the reminder about her 9:00 meeting Seneca Crane flashed across the screen.  She’d been asked to meet with him regarding the ‘Abernathy matter’, as it had been tactfully referred to in the email she’d received from management two weeks ago.  It seems there was an issue with the final draft of the last book, and Effie was being called upon to escort the enigma’s final offering home. 

 

Precisely at 9:00, Effie knocked on Seneca’s door, waiting until she heard his harried “Come in” before entering.  She found Seneca sitting behind his desk looking weary, as if he hadn’t slept well in quite a while.  His clothing was immaculate, and his beard neatly trimmed as always, but his skin was clammy and pale, and his dark eyes were glassy with dark purple bruises beneath them; evidence of his sleepless nights.  He popped a handful of antacid into his mouth, and washed them down with a healthy swig of ginger ale before addressing her.

 

“Come in, Effie, come in.  Have a seat.”  He waved her over to a plush arm chair facing his desk.  “I assume by now you’re familiar with the…ah…situation?” 

 

“Yes, Seneca.  I’ve read the files, along with the books but I wasn’t able to find out anything further.  It may be helpful if you told me exactly what the ‘situation’ is so I had an idea of where to go from here.”  Effie was nothing if not calm and collected at all times.  She waited patiently as Seneca rubbed his hands over his face and up through his hair, making the short strands stand on end. 

 

Seneca cleared his throat several times, as if unsure where exactly to begin.  “As you are aware, Mr. Abernathy’s contract is….unique to say the least.  What we had to promise in order to obtain the rights to his work was, and still is, unprecedented.  You may have also heard that in order to get management to agree to the deal, I had to sign a contract of sorts with Snow himself, and until now everything has gone swimmingly.  The books are a success, Haymitch is a millionaire several times over, and Snow Publishing has flourished into the powerhouse that it is today.”  He paused and took out a silver flask which he unscrewed, and poured a healthy dose of the contents into his coffee mug before taking a long drink.  He then took a deep breath before continuing. 

 

“The problem is that Abernathy is holding out on submitting the final draft of the last book in the series – _Song of the Mockingjay_.  This happens from time to time and normally an extension wouldn’t be an issue.  However, the release of the book has been scheduled to happen simultaneously with the opening weekend of the movie version of _Jewels_.  This has been the plan since the film rights were sold to Lionsgate two years ago; in fact, Haymitch demanded that it be written into the contract that the release of the book would coincide with the opening of the film.  As of now we are less than 6 months from the movie’s premiere and we haven’t even seen an outline, let alone a rough draft of the book.”  He took another deep draught of coffee, and ran his hands through his hair again. 

 

Effie waited quietly for him to continue, certain that her part in this would be revealed in due time. 

 

“As you know, Cornelius Snow is not the most patient man.  He is giving me 10 days to get the manuscript in this office before he cashes in on our agreement.”  He looked directly at Effie for the first time.  “The deal we made stipulated that if there were any issues with the release of any of the books, I would repay all of the money Snow Publishing lost on the promotion, printing, royalties, everything.  $4.45 million has been spent on publicity for the release of the final book in the series, both in print and on television.  Not to mention at least another $1 Million from the advance purchases made online.  If we don’t go to print in the next 2 months, I will have to repay Snow Publishing all of that money and knowing Snow, he’ll charge me back interest.” 

 

The gravity of the situation was not lost on Effie.  Seneca would be ruined financially, and professionally, if the manuscript was not submitted by the deadline.  Snow would see to it that Seneca never found work in the publishing field again. 

 

“Has there been any reason given for the delay?” Effie asked him.

 

“Of course not,” Seneca replied with exasperation evident in his voice.   “His attorneys just keep saying Mr. Abernathy is working and cannot be disturbed.  We have no way of contacting him directly, and the way his contract is structured we have no leverage to use against him to force him to comply.”

 

Effie sat back in the plush leather chair, and considered the situation for a moment, rolling the facts over in her mind as she often did when trying to solve a particularly hard puzzle.  “So, you want me to go to him in person and see what the problem is with the manuscript and then do what is needed to make sure it’s turned in by the deadline.” She stated this directly, no hint of a question in her voice.  “Do you know where he is?” 

 

Seneca closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before answering.  “As I said before, his attorney will not divulge his whereabouts, and we have no direct contact information.”

 

Effie wasn’t concerned about the lack of an address.  She’d once found an author who’d been missing for several months and had missed his deadline for submission.  He’d been camped out in an RV parked in a remote area of Yellowstone National Park, working his ham radio to spread conspiracy theories about the impending end of the world.  It only took her a few days to find him, and only several more to convince him to shave off his mountain-man beard and rejoin civilization.  The subsequent book went to press a few weeks late, but the sales of the sensational apocalyptic novel more than made up for the overage costs. 

 

“Not a problem.  I’ll put out a few feelers and see what intel I can dig up and proceed accordingly.  Don’t worry Seneca, I will escort that manuscript here before the 10 days are up.”  Effie said this in her most confident tone, which did little to reassure Seneca.  He chewed a couple more antacids then stood up, prompting Effie to do so as well. 

 

He came around the desk and took both of her hands in his.  He looked at her with bloodshot eyes, from lack of sleep or the whiskey laced coffee she wasn’t sure.  “Effie, you are my last hope.  Do this for me and I’ll owe you for the rest of my life.”

 

She smirked and looked back at Seneca with her eyebrow raised.  “Isn’t that how you got into this mess in the first place?”

 

Her remark caught him off-guard and he looked confused for a moment before her words trickled through his jumbled thoughts.  Once he understood she was teasing him, he actually managed a weak smile.  “Where were you 15 years ago when I could have used your sage advice?” 

 

She chuckled and squeezed his hands in a friendly gesture.  “Don’t worry, Seneca.  I’ll get this done for you.” 

 

With that, he released her hands and she went back to her office to rearrange her schedule, finish off some last minute details and set her autoreply so any calls or emails would be redirected to her mobile phone. 

 

Effie began her search by digging around online some more and managed to find archives from the town in Kentucky where Haymitch was rumored to own land.  Reviewing the local newspaper’s online archive led her to the public notice of sale from when he’d purchased the land 20 years earlier from the Estate of A. Everdeen.   The land was located in a small town called Gudgel in Anderson County, Kentucky.  Gudgel was located east of Lawrenceburg, which just happened to be home to the Wild Turkey Bourbon distillery. 

 

“Not far from a distillery?  Seems like the perfect place for someone rumored to be a moonshiner.” she said to herself, “Well, that’s as good a place to start as any.”  

 

With a plan starting to form in her mind, Effie used a popular travel website to book a flight to Lawrenceburg.  It would leave the city later that evening and would, after several connections, put her in the Blue Grass State by 9:00 the next morning.  She printed her boarding pass, then closed up her office and headed home to pack for her next adventure. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, after a long night of layovers in dingy regional airstrips, and enough turbulence to rattle her teeth, Effie arrived at the Buzzards Roost Airport in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Luckily the local Alamo rent-a-car desk wasn't busy, so she was able to quickly choose her car, and begin the journey to the tiny town of Gudgel. Before she'd left the city, she'd printed out the tax parcel information regarding the land Haymitch had purchased, and with that in hand she entered the coordinates into the GPS and set off on the hunt for the cagy recluse.

About 15 minutes later, she turned right off of Rt 44 onto McDonald Road, and headed northeast toward Gudgel. The road was windy and was bordered on either side by rolling hills dotted with swaying trees in varying shades of green. There wasn't another car on the road and as far as she could tell there were no other roads intersecting the one she was on, aside from a few rutted dirt paths here and there.

She'd gone less than 2 miles when the trees cleared and she came upon an intersection with a blinking yellow light. The chipper voice of the GPS announced "Destination", meaning Effie had arrived in Gudgel proper. There wasn't much around the intersection. On one side there was a diner called "Sae's" that looked as if it were stuck in the 1960's, complete with a neon sign advertising Cold Beer, and a giant plastic chicken out front holding a sign proudly proclaiming 'Best Chicken & Waffles in Anderson County!' On the other side was a gas station that seemed to be from this century, but could use a good sweep and coat of paint. There were no houses or other buildings around in any direction.

Effie's intuition told her that the diner would be her best hope for finding any clues about Haymitch Abernathy, and where he may be hiding. She pulled into the dirt parking lot, careful to avoid a hole that looked like it would swallow her rental car and not give it back. There were several other vehicles in the lot, all of the pickup truck variety, of various ages and states of disrepair. All of them had gun racks in the back window, complete with at least two shot-guns.

"In case of a hunting emergency or the Zombie Apocalypse breaks out", Effie supposed with a grin.

She parked her tiny Toyota Prius between two large Ford F-350 trucks and turned off the ignition. Out of habit, she checked her hair and make-up in the vanity mirror, and satisfied with what she saw, grabbed her purse and exited the car. Effie knew she could never blend in with the folks here, but she did her best not to stand out too badly – medium wash skinny jeans with dark brown leather riding boots that were appropriately worn-in, and a snug white cotton tee-shirt topped off by a teal plaid fitted flannel shirt knotted at her waist. Her hair was in its signature jumble of golden blonde curls that hung to her shoulders and were held away from her face by tortoise-shell sunglasses.

The reaction when she walked into the diner was almost comical and Effie swore if the jukebox had been playing actual 45's, the needle would have skipped and dragged across the vinyl like a sound effect from an old Western movie. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and Effie could feel their eyes on her as she crossed to the counter and sat down.

After a few uncomfortable moments, Effie looked around the diner, taking stock of the situation. There were a few patrons sprinkled around the room, one waitress standing by a table with her pad in hand waiting for an order, another waitress behind the counter holding a carafe of coffee at such an angle that Effie thought for sure the dark brown liquid would spill over the brim at any moment. Through the pickup window she saw the cook, a young man with bright blue eyes and an overabundance of blond curls that couldn't quite be contained by the hat he wore, with his regarding her intently.

They were all staring at Effie as if she were an apparition that just appeared out of nowhere – there was no hostility in their looks, just blatant curiosity. Normally Effie would be offended by their complete lack of manners, but since she was, after all, a stranger in a strange land, she decided to let it slide. 'You catch more flies with honey than vinegar' her mother had always said when trying to teach Effie to be polite, no matter the situation. That was especially true in this instance since she was hoping to get some information about Haymitch Abernathy and his whereabouts from them.

Turning in her seat, Effie surveyed the room and with her warmest smile said, "Hello. I'm Effie Trinket."

Silence reigned for a moment longer, but Effie's words seemed to break the spell a chorus of "Hello" or "Howdy ma'am" came back to her. One by one they realized they'd been staring and turned back to their plates or menus, but still giving Effie a look every now and then.

The waitress behind the counter walked over with the coffee and placed a mug down in front of Effie. "Would you like some coffee, Miss?" the young girl asked. Effie surreptitiously looked at her name tag before responding.

"Yes, thank you, Leevy. Coffee would be delightful after my long journey." This isn't the first time Effie has used this ploy to find out information. She knew that if she was polite, maintained eye contact, used their names and the right cue words, she would be able to get the information she needed with very little fuss.

Bait taken, Leevy smiled at Effie as she filled the mug with the steaming liquid, and placed a little bowl containing creamers on the counter next to the mug. The sugar packets were already on the counter in a little swivel container that also held various jams and jellies.

"Thank you," Effie said, and proceeded to add the usual amount of both creamer and sugar to her coffee before stirring with the spoon Leevy had left for her.

"You're welcome, Miss," Leevy replied, placing a well-worn menu on the counter before going off to refill the mugs of the other patrons.

Effie took a sip of the still scalding coffee, now the color of a sweet caramel, and almost immediately felt the familiar jolt of caffeine in her system. After the long night of flying with very little sleep, Effie was grateful for the kick. She's in the middle of another necessary sip when she felt, rather than saw, someone come up next to her and sit down at the counter.

She set down her mug and turned her head to her left, where a man sat looking at her with a smile. His skin was a shade or two darker than her coffee and he was dressed like he worked on a maintenance crew of some kind – jeans, work boots, tee-shirt and of course flannel. His hair was dark, but streaks of grey winked out from his temples and his soft brown eyes were ringed by deep lines that you can tell were not caused by stress, but rather a lifetime's worth of smiling and laughing. He radiated kindness so Effie wasn't at all offended by his open staring.

She turned fully toward him, with her right hand extended in greeting. "Hello, I'm Effie." His smile deepened as he lifted his right arm as well, showing that his right hand was missing.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Effie," he said in a soft voice laced with good humor, "My name is Chaff and if y'all don't mind, I'd prefer to just fist bump, so to speak." He extended what was left of his arm towards her, and Effie, quickly recovered from her initial shock, balled her hand into a fist, awkwardly bumping it with Chaff's stump.

Surprise bloomed across his face, followed by hearty laughter. "I'll be damned! That's the first time someone's actually done it! Miss Effie, I think you and I are gonna be great friends; if you plan on sticking around a while, that is."

Effie, initially concerned that she'd committed some heinous offense, joined in with her own laughter at Chaff's reaction. There was something about him that was so disarming, so genuine, that you couldn't help but like him.

"First of all, please just call me Effie. I'm far removed from being a Miss and ma'am makes me feel like my mother. Secondly, how long I stay depends on if I find who I'm looking for or not." Effie knew she was taking a risk by revealing her reason for being Gudgel so soon, but she needed to know where the loyalties were before taking her next step.

The wary look on Chaff's face told her this wasn't the first time someone had come snooping around these parts. Whether or not they were asking about Haymitch was another story, but Effie knew better than to take that track right now.

"There ain't too many of us livin' in Gudgel these days, Effie. Pretty much, if they ain't in this diner right now, they don't live here." She could see by his now guarded expression that this was a test to see if she really was looking for someone, or if she was just trying to ferret out information. Luckily, Effie had prepared for just such a possibility.

"I'm trying to track down a distant cousin on my mother's side. You see, I've been working on a family tree, mostly for medical history reasons, and I've hit a dead end with my mother's cousin's family. The trail led here to Gudgel but went cold some time ago. I was hoping there may be someone still around that can help me pick it back up again." Effie made sure to maintain eye contact with Chaff the entire time and used her hands to emphasize the importance of finding these missing relatives. When she was done, she fixed him with her most imploring smile and waited for him to make the next move.

Chaff regarded her with half-lidded eyes, pretty much sizing her up to see if she was telling the truth. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and fixed her with a look. "And just who might you be looking for 'round here?"

Effie knew without a doubt that this was a test and that everyone in the diner was waiting to see what name she'd come out with. Her instincts told her that saying Haymitch Abernathy would mean certain failure, and possibly being run out of town by force. Instead, she decided to go with Plan B. "I don't know the first name, but my mother's records state the surname is Everdeen."

The look of surprise on Chaff's face at the name was quickly replaced by one of moderate curiosity, and Effie knew she was on the right course. "Everdeen, you say? Why do you think there's some Everdeen's 'round these parts?"

"My mother's journal had an entry from about 20 years ago that referenced the sale of some land around here. All it said was the Everdeen place had been sold, but it didn't say why or to whom." Effie had even doctored up what looked to be a photocopied page from this supposed journal with the corresponding words highlighted. She handed it to Chaff, who looked over the paper with a skeptical eye before standing up. "Do you mind if I borrow this for a minute? I may know someone who can help y'all with your search."

"No, not at all. I'd appreciate any help you can give me with this." Effie kept her face passive, but inside she screamed. After years of private detectives trying and failing, she was hopefully one step closer to finding the elusive Haymitch Abernathy.


	3. Chapter 3

After a good half an hour, during which time Effie had indulged her sweet tooth with fresh backed rye toast smothered in homemade orange marmalade, both of which the cook, Peter, insisted she try, Chaff returned with the page from her mother's alleged journal. He was accompanied by a short, round woman of indeterminate age, and thick salt and pepper hair that was braided and wrapped around her head like a crown. The woman's steely grey eyes bored into Effie's pale blue ones with an intensity that almost frightened the younger woman into giving up the game and high-tailing it out of there without a second thought.

"I'm Sae, proprietress of this fine establishment. Chaff here tells me you're lookin' for any remaining Everdeen's. Mind if I ask why?" Effie was momentarily shocked by Sae's bluntness but recovered quickly. ' _They must hear all sorts of stories from people trying to find Haymitch,'_ she thought to herself, so decided to be honest, to a point.

"I was adopted, and due to some recent health concerns, I've been researching my birth-mother's family in order to help my Doctor's with their diagnosis." This actually was the truth, although it had nothing to do with the Everdeen's or Haymitch Abernathy. Effie's birth-mother's family was from the Boston area and tracing them had actually been a piece of cake. Fortunately the issues that had prompted the search turned out to be benign, so Effie didn't feel bad about using her family history this way.

Sae looked Effie over from top to bottom, not in the way a man would at a bar but more like a butcher when sizing up a side of beef. She sat still and let the older woman inspect her as long as needed. Sae seemed to find whatever it was she was looking for because she nodded at Effie and then said to the room at large, "Yep, she's an Everdeen alright. Her eyes look just like Aster's, God bless her soul."

Sae's pronouncement seemed to satisfy everyone in the diner as they all immediately forgot about Effie, and went back to their food or newspapers. Leevy brought Effie her check, which Sae promptly tore up. "Everdeen's is like family. Your money's no good here."

Effie felt the slightest twinge of guilt beginning to take root at the back of her mind at this kindness, and felt her cheeks blush. "Thank you, Ms. Sae. That's very kind of you."

"T'ain't nothin'," Sae replied with a wave of her hand. "Come back to my office. I got someone back there I think you'd like to meet."

Effie's pulse started to race as she gathered up her things, and followed Sae to the back office. She didn't know who would be waiting there, but she had a feeling deep in her bones that whoever it was would be the key to the mystery surrounding Mr. Haymitch Abernathy.

_hehehehehe_

The first thing Effie noticed when they entered Sae's office was the girl standing by the window looking outside into the parking lot. Effie couldn't see her face, but the long, dark braid stirred something in her memory. The girl was very small, almost child-like, but Effie sensed that she was a lot older, and wiser, than she appeared. Suddenly, Effie felt like coming here was a very bad idea.

"Effie Trinket, meet Katie Everdeen. Katie, this is your momma's distant cousin, Effie." Sae handled the introductions swiftly and before Effie could digest the girl's name, she had turned from the window, and glared at Effie, her arms crossed over her chest in a protective stance. Effie was immediately struck by Katie's eyes – silvery-grey with a thin ring of green around the outer edge. She didn't have the flecks of blue, but Effie knew without a doubt that Katie Everdeen was a relation to the man in the photo she'd admired on many an occasion – Haymitch Abernathy.

Effie stepped forward towards Katie with her hand out in greeting. "Katie, it's so wonderful to meet you."

Katie's eyes flashed between Effie's face to her outstretched hand and back again. She blinked, but otherwise made no move to return the gesture. "Sae tells me you're here looking for family because of an illness. Do you need money or a kidney or something?"

Effie dropped her hand, shocked by the boldness of this girl who couldn't be more than twenty. When she didn't answer quickly enough, Katie uncrossed her arms and took a step toward Effie. As she moved, the light glinted off a pin on her shirt. Effie's gaze was drawn to the pin and she almost gasped when she realized what she was looking at. The pin on Katie's shirt was the same as the symbol of the Mockingjay in the books – a bird clutching an arrow in its long beak, wings extended upward in flight, surrounded by a circle of gold. Not to mention Katie was a dead ringer for the character of 'Katniss' in the story, even down to the long chestnut braid that hung over her shoulder. Effie was absolutely convinced this girl had a connection to Haymitch but gaining her trust enough to meet him would be tricky. Everything in her stance radiated aggression and distrust – the fisted hands on her hips, the wide stance of her legs, the straight back and certainly the deep scowl that seemed permanently etched into her face.

Effie decided a little honesty was in order here, so she cleared her throat and addressed Katie. "I was diagnosed with a mild form of Hemophilia when my gums wouldn't stop bleeding after oral surgery. Fortunately, the Orthodontist was located near the Hospital and they were able to quickly get me to the ER and stop it before I hemorrhaged. Since then I've had several treatments to help build up the proteins in my blood, and now really only have to worry if I need surgery or dental work again. The doctors wanted my family medical history to determine where it came from as Hemophilia is very rare in females. I'm adopted but had already found my birth-mother and with her help was able to find most of the family tree. Once the Hemophilia question was answered, though, I decided to continue looking into the family as a sort of pet-project for myself. That's what led to me coming here – the trail ends with the Everdeen's of Kentucky." All but the last part was the truth, although it had happened about 15 years ago.

Katie continued to study Effie while Sae looked on in silence. The younger woman appraised Effie with her steely grey eyes before finally relaxing her stance and turning to Sae. "You're right. She does have Mama's eyes."

Effie was relieved she'd passed the test, but again felt the sting of lying to these people twist in her gut a little more.  _'It'll all be over soon, then I'll be back in the city and the book will be on its way to the publisher.'_ Effie kept repeating this to herself, as if it would help assuage some of the guilt.

"So, now that you've found us, what're you going to do with us?" Katie still looked skeptical, but her body language was a lot less hostile.

"I'd like to talk to you and any other family there may still be around here. I was an only child, had no aunts, uncles or cousins. I just want to get to know my family." This was also true for Effie. She'd been terribly disappointed when she did meet her birth-mother's family and they wanted nothing to do with her. She was a reminder of the teenage indiscretion that almost ruined the good family name with a scandal. They'd answered her medical questions, but that was as far as the relationship went. After that experience, Effie decided maybe she just wasn't meant to have a family, or anyone else in her life that mattered.

Katie looked over at Sae who nodded her head in approval. "Ok. If you're not busy, why don't you come back to the house with me and I'll introduce you to the others."

Effie was about to give herself a mental high-five when Katie's words processed more clearly. "Others?" she asked, trying to contain her building excitement.

"Yeah, well there's me, my sister Rosemary, Mama and my Uncle Haymitch. Well, he's really my Dad's cousin, but we've always just called him Uncle." Katie grabbed her purse off the desk and walked towards the door, indicating for Effie to follow her.

The bad feeling in Effie's stomach grew as she considered maybe she was getting in too deep this time, but it was pushed to the back of her mind as the prospect of finally meeting the elusive Haymitch Abernathy loomed closer. "Thank you for your help," she said to Sae as she walked out of the office behind Katie.

"See you later, Pete." Katie called to the young man behind the grill. Effie noticed that he gazed at the brunette's retreating form with a look akin to worship, and had to stifle a smile. If Katie was the basis for 'Katniss', then surely Pete the cook was none other than 'Peeta', the other hero of the story.

Katie and Effie exited the diner and walked into the parking lot. "This is me," Katie said, indicating a dark blue Chevy Silverado that was old, but seemed to be in pretty good shape. "I'll wait for you by the entrance and you can follow me back to the house." She got into the truck and revved up the engine.

Effie walked to her rental car and sat inside, finally taking a deep breath now that at least one part of her plan was in motion. She hesitated a moment, though, before turning the key in the ignition and regarded herself in the rear-view mirror. "What am I doing here?"she asked her reflection. "Can I really meet these people under such false pretenses? Then once I earn their trust, how am I going to get him to give me the manuscript? Oh, Effie, I think you've really gotten yourself into a jam this time!" Shaking her head at the thought, she closed the mirror, then turned the key, and pulled out to where Katie's truck was waiting.

 


	4. Chapter 4

The ride to the house took about 20 minutes along one well-used road, then another 15 or so minutes along a dusty trail that climbed gradually up the side of a hill covered with dense foliage. Suddenly, Katie's brake lights came on and she took a sharp right onto what looked like an old logging trail of some kind – basically just two dirt filled ruts in the otherwise grassy ground. It wasn't until Effie was turning onto the trail herself that she saw the Mockingjay symbol painted on a small sign hanging from one of the trees. There was no address or any other ornamentation to indicate there was a house anywhere around. Effie couldn't help but laugh at how clever Haymitch had been in hiding his location in plain sight.

The path had several sharp turns, to the point where Effie thought they were headed back towards the road, when finally the woods cleared and the trail they'd been following morphed into a gravel path. As they came around yet another curve, the house itself came into view. It stood at the crest of the hill with a semi-circular driveway in the front. It wasn't large by conventional standards, but it was certainly bigger than Effie had imagined from her notes. It looked to be two stories with what was most likely a walk-up attic and dormers in the front. The wooden siding was stained dark, like walnut, and blended into the surrounding woods effortlessly. The windows had green shutters that were opened to the sun, but could easily be drawn at night for privacy, not that there were any neighbors around. The front door was also green and had a lovely brass knob and knocker. Effie guessed the knocker was just for decoration as it was unlikely they had many visitors way out here.

Off to the left of the house was a three stall detached garage that looked like a smaller version of the house, right down to the decorative dormers. From where Effie sat, she could see a light on in a room above the garage, but she couldn't see anyone or tell if it was an apartment or some other type of room. Katie opened one of the garage doors and pulled her truck inside while Effie parked behind one of the other closed doors.

Effie turned off her car and with a deep, steadying breath, got out and waited for Katie. Together they walked to the front door, with Katie opening it up and letting Effie precede her inside.

"Hey! I'm home! Where are y'all?" Katie yelled as she walked in the general direction of the back of the house.

Effie took a moment to look around at the interior. From the outside, she'd expected the rooms to be dark but instead they were full of natural light and large, overstuffed furniture that looked extremely comfortable. More than that, the house looked warm and inviting; truly a home that held a family that loved and cared for one another. Again she felt a twinge of conscious over what she was doing creep up in her mind, but she pushed it firmly away. She was about to meet the greatest writer of this generation and nothing was going to detract from that.

They made their way down a short hallway to the open kitchen-dining room-family room area that was dominated at one end by a large fieldstone fireplace. It was surrounded by the most comfortable looking chairs and couches Effie had ever seen. They also looked worn-in and she had no doubt this was the most popular area in the house.

"Hey kiddo." She heard Katie say and turned to see the other occupant of the kitchen – a lithe blonde with shining blue eyes, and fair skin like porcelain. This had to be Katie's sister, Rosemary, even though their coloring couldn't be more opposite. Their features were too similar to be anything but siblings.

"Kat, I am  _not_  a kid anymore. I have my driver's license now and that makes me officially an adult." Rosemary said to Katie with an air of superiority that only a teenager can achieve, but the effect was ruined when she burst out laughing. "OMG, I can't believe I said that with a straight face."

"Ro, you will always be a little kid to me. Even when we're old ladies and you're visiting me in the home, I will  _still_ call you 'kiddo'." Katie gave her little sister an affectionate shove and then pulled her in for a tight hug.

Effie tried to push away the pang of jealousy that had reared it's ugly head as she watched the sisters greet each other. When they finally pulled apart, Katie introduced Rosemary to Effie.

"Rosemary Everdeen, I'd like you to meet our distant cousin on Mama's side – Effie Trinket. Effie, this here is my little pain in the a.., I mean sister, Rosemary." Katie said with a wink.

"Nice to meet you, Effie," said Rosemary with a wave.

"You as well, Rosemary," Effie replied with a wave of her own.

"Effie's here doing some kind of family tree research project. Where's Mama and Haymitch?" Katie inquired.

"Mama's resting and Haymitch is in his office, probably sleeping off last night's bender." Rosemary answered with a snort.

Katie sighed and rolled her eyes in weary acceptance. "I'll show you around the rest of the place, and then we can sit and talk."

Katie led Effie out back, and showed her the stone patio. To the left was an outdoor kitchen, complete with a smoker and grill. To the right was a seating area with benches built into the sides covered in plump, colorful cushions. Three steps lead out to the yard and in-ground free-form pool with a connected hot tub, a smaller lap pool and a small cabana. Further back towards the woods was a decent sized shed that looked a bit run-down, but had a gleaming silver pad-lock on the door. There was white smoke floating lazily out of a large pipe in the roof, and a sweet smell of something cooking permeated the air.

"Is that a smokehouse?" Effie asked, indicating the shed.

Katie snorted, "Hell no. That's where Haymitch keeps his still. He spends hours in there claiming that he's trying to perfect his moonshine recipe but I'll bet he just ends up dead drunk on the floor. No one's allowed in there, so I really have no idea what goes on inside."

Effie felt like she was in a dream by being here. She couldn't believe any of this was real and almost said so before catching herself. It wouldn't do to ruin the charade before she even  _met_ the object of her search.

They turned around and walked back inside the house where Rosemary was setting the table with some snacks and tall glasses of sweet tea. Effie and Katie joined her and the three easily lost themselves in pleasant conversation.

Effie learned from the girls that Haymitch had bought the land from their father's estate after he'd died suddenly of a heart attack at age 40. They were cousins, but had been as close as brothers so when Ash's widow and kids needed help, Haymitch was more than happy to step up. She also found out their mother, who had suffered from depression even before her husband's death, had pretty much checked out after he was gone, and was only lucid for a few hours each day. The rest of the time she either slept or kept to her rooms upstairs, going through old photo albums, and humming absently to herself. Haymitch had pretty much raised the girls from when they were little and took care of the family as best as he could.

Katie was currently enrolled in an online University working toward a liberal arts degree while still living at home. She hadn't wanted to leave her Mother or Rosemary alone with Haymitch, just in case he blew himself up with this still or something equally stupid. Rosemary, it turns out, had a genius level IQ and spent half of her day at the local high school and the other half taking online college courses of her own. She was much more certain of her future – she wanted to be a microbiologist with a concentration in the causes of depression from a molecular standpoint. Effie supposed this was a direct result of her mother's illness and a need to understand what had happened to her.

"You know about the books he writes, don't you?" Rosemary asked Effie after a lull in the conversation. Katie gave her a pointed look that goes ignored by the teen as she continued telling Effie that the idea for the books came from stories Haymitch and their father used to make up for each other when they were kids. After the girls were born, their father revised the stories to include them as characters. When he died, Haymitch started writing them down, as both a way for the girls to remember him, and to give them something tangible to hold onto.

When money began to get tight, Sae was the one who suggested he try to publish them and hooked him up with her brother-in-law – Plutarch Heavensbee. The rest of the story Effie pretty much knew already, but she responded accordingly in the right places as Rosemary talked and Katie looked on with her signature scowl.

Rosemary had just reached the part of her story where she was criticizing the fact that Woody Harrelson, who would play the pivotal role of the Tribute's mentor in the film, wouldn't have the dark hair his character called for in the book when a loud, gravelly voice rang out, "Who in the blue hell are you?"

The three women startled at the sudden intrusion and turned to find none other than Haymitch Abernathy glaring at them, specifically at Effie. She sucked in a breath at the sight of him standing there in well-worn jeans, cowboy boots and a faded Lynyrd Skynyrd tee-shirt. His dark hair hung to his shoulders and was badly in need of a wash, but that, combined with the several day old stubble on his tanned cheeks and tattoos on his arms made him the sexiest thing Effie had seen in a long, long time. As he stepped closer to where they were sitting by the fireplace, the sunlight streaming in from the patio door caught his eyes, turning them into pools of molten silver. Effie's breath caught in her throat at the sight and she knew at that moment she was in way over her head.

"I said, who the hell are you, girlie?" He crossed to stand in front of Effie, watching her in a way that was reminiscent of his niece.

' _Good, God! He's so…..MALE.'_ Effie thought to herself as she struggled to maintain her composure. Years of etiquette lessons ingrained in her mind pulled Effie from her momentary stupor, and she stood, extending her hand to him in greeting. "My name is Effie Trinket. I'm a…a…distant cousin of…um…Aster's and I'm here doing some research for a family tree project." The lies were getting harder and harder to push from her lips, as if each one were another nail being driven into her coffin, essentially sealing her fate.

Haymitch looked from her face to her hand, again examining her as both Sae and Katie had done previously. Clearly he, too, found whatever sign he was looking for and took her hand, giving it a quick shake. "Haymitch Abernathy."

Effie was not prepared for the jolt of electricity that shot up her arm at the feel of his warm skin against hers, making her eyes widen in response. From the way her heart rate sped up, she knew a blush would soon decorate her neck and face as she never had a very good poker face. Blue eyes locked on grey, and from the way his pupils were dilated, and the subtle flare of his nostrils, she knew that he felt whatever was happening, too.

Releasing her, almost reluctantly, Haymitch sat down next to the girls, and propped one foot up on the coffee table. "So, Effie Trinket, what sort of research are you doing here in Kentucky?"

Effie willed herself not to look at how the denim of his jeans wrapped around his thighs like a second skin as she sat down and took a sip of her sweet tea to loosen up her suddenly dry throat. "As I explained to the girls already, I have hemophilia, which is genetic and rare for females, so my Doctor's suggested I trace my family tree to see where it may have come from. I'm adopted, but had already found my birth-mother and was able to trace the family here to the Everdeen's."

Haymitch considered this a few minutes before nodding. "Alright then, Princess. How long you plannin' on stayin'?"

"Well, I hadn't really thought that far ahead. I wasn't sure if I'd even find anyone so my plans are sort of open-ended. I do have to be back at work in a week, though. If you all don't mind, I'd like to stay a few days and find out what I can about the family. I think I saw some hotels back in Lawrenceburg when I left the airport."

"Nonsense! You're family, so you'll stay here with us!" Rosemary could barely contain her excitement.

Haymitch and Katie exchanged weary looks, but their Southern upbringing prevented them from taking back Rosemary's invitation.

"Of course she'll stay here," Haymitch agreed. "Rosemary, why don't you and Katie go get the guest room ready for her?"

As soon as the girls were out of earshot, Haymitch turned to Effie and confronted her in a low voice. "Ok, Ms. Trinket of Snow Publishing. I know who you are, and I know why you're here. I must say though, I am impressed at how easily you found me. That disease story was genius, Princess."

Effie just sat there in shock at being found out so quickly, her mind reeling.  _'How the does he know I work for Snow? I'm not listed in the Company's roll of employees, as far as I know Seneca's never mentioned me…'_

Haymitch continued on in a deceptively placid tone, as if he could read her jumbled thoughts. "You're probably wondering how I know who you are and why I haven't sold you out to the girls and thrown you off my property…yet. You'll get your answers, as well as the final draft of the manuscript, when I'm good and ready to give them to you. All you need to do is play along and not let the girls know the truth. If they find out you aren't really who you said you are, they'll be devastated and I'll be damned if I let anyone hurt them."

What choice did Effie have but to agree? She was already there, and she had to admit she was curious to know why he held out for so long. Not to mention she found the man next to her completely fascinating, and a few more days in his company certainly promised to be interesting. "Ok. I'll keep up the ruse. But I want you to know it wasn't all a lie. I really am a hemophiliac but my birth-mother's family is from the East, around Boston. I just tweaked the facts a bit and I guess it helped that I resemble their mother."

"You don't look a damn thing like Aster, but I guess the power of suggestion can be strong enough to make you see whatever you want." Haymitch sat back and pulled a flask out of his boot. He unscrewed the cap and took a long swig then offered it to Effie, who politely refused. The flask looked familiar, though she couldn't quite put her finger on where she'd seen it before. "Now, tell me darlin'. How did you find me when so many reporters and private detectives couldn't?"

"Well, the only concrete information we had about your whereabouts was the sale of the land, which I confirmed in the newspaper's online archives. From there I figured it would just be a matter of finding the parcels noted in the Public Notices, but I never had to go that far. I met Chaff in the diner this morning and he bought my 'cousin' story and introduced me to Sae. Katie happened to be there and she accepted the story as well. She brought me here from the diner to meet the rest of the 'family'." Effie waited patiently as Haymitch digested the news.

"Well, well, well. Beautiful  _and_  smart. You're something else, Princess, you know that?" Haymitch saluted Effie with his flask before taking another long pull from the flask. Again she felt that tingle, that feeling of déjà vu, but the answer eluded her once again.

Effie flushed again at his words. She didn't know why she was reacting so strongly to him. She wasn't some teenage virgin, for goodness sake! There was just something about him, something so raw and primal that called out to her inner being in a way she'd never felt before. She knew this was a dangerous game to play, but the attraction was so strong, so demanding that there was no way she could back out now. For better or worse, Effie found herself to be a piece in Haymitch's game. All she could do was hope that when and if she lost, the price wasn't higher than she was willing to pay.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Later that evening, after Effie was settled in the guest room, it was decided the night was mild enough to have a bit of a cookout. Haymitch manned the grill, which had been custom made for him, and even had a bottle opener and built-in cup holders. Effie helped the girls with the various sides – corn on the cob dripping in butter, sautéed mushrooms in a fragrant garlic sauce, green salad bursting with fresh vegetables from their garden, and mouthwatering cheese buns, courtesy of Pete, who had come over after his shift at the diner. She still hadn't met Aster Everdeen, who was enclosed in her rooms, and probably wouldn't until sometime tomorrow.

Later that evening, as they sat around the outdoor table and ate, Effie told them about her life back in the city. Of course, she left out the part about working for Snow Publishing, but the rest of the details were accurate. Rosemary was most interested in hearing about all the people she'd met, and events she'd gone to as part of her work in PR.

"Oh my God! I can't  _believe_ you met Josh Hutcherson! He's soooo cute!" Rosemary gushed after learning Effie's company had hosted an event to support his latest  _Journey_  movie a few years ago.

"Pfft, what's he got that I haven't?" Pete joked, earning a smile from Katie, and giggles from Rosemary.

"Yes, he's a nice boy. Very mature for his age, not at all like some of the other Hollywood brats I've had to deal with." Much to her surprise, Effie found that she was enjoying the conversation and general camaraderie of their little group. So much so that she momentarily forgot why she was there and just had a good time.

"Oh, let's start up a fire in the pit and make s'mores!" Rosemary suggested to the group after dinner was finished.

"No. It's after 9:00 and you have school in the morning." Katie replied, sounding more like a parent than a sibling.

"Come on, just this once? It's not every day we get to meet a long lost relative. Please, Katie?" she begged of her sister, who remained impassive.

"Haymitch, Effie, you guys want s'mores, too, right? Help me out here!" she implored them both, even throwing in a pout for good measure.

"Sorry, kid. Us old folks need our beauty sleep; well some of us anyway." Haymitch replied with a heated look at Effie.

"I'm actually pretty tired, Rosemary. I had a long night of flying and the excitement of the day has just worn me out." Effie gave her a smile and patted her hand. "I'll be here for a few days at least. Why don't we save the s'mores for another night, ok?"

Rosemary pouted again, but reluctantly agreed, and they finished their meal without further mention of s'mores.

_hehehehehe_

Later, after all the dinner dishes had been cleaned and put away, Rosemary said 'good night' to Haymitch and Effie, and Katie left with Pete, leaving them alone in the family room.

"Want a beer?" Haymitch asked Effie as he opened the fridge and took out two frosty amber bottles.

"Um, sure. Thanks." Effie replied as she sat on one of the smaller couches by the large fireplace. She couldn't help but think of how homey and comfortable this room would be with a roaring fire going. The night was warm enough without it right now, but she hoped she'd be able to experience it once while she was there.

Haymitch popped the top, then handed her the beer and sat down on the opposite end of the same couch. He relaxed into the corner and looked over at Effie with a smirk.

"So, Princess. I'm sure you have a million questions for me. I'm not quite ready to give everything up just yet, but you've been a good sport so far and I'm in a giving mood." He paused here to sample the dark beer, draining half the bottle in one gulp. Effie found herself mesmerized by the bob of his Adam's apple as he swallowed. "Go ahead, ask away."

He was right; Effie had a ton of questions, but at the moment her thoughts were so jumbled she couldn't think of a single one. To buy some time she took a few swigs of the beer, relishing the bitter taste as it soothed her parched throat.

"I guess my first question would be – how did you know who I was? I'm not listed in the official Snow Publishing roster. In fact, very few outside of upper management know I even work there." This question had burned in the back of her mind all evening, and Effie hoped this wasn't one he wasn't ready to answer yet.

"Easy, sweetheart," he chuckled. "I have…. _friends_ ….working at Snow. Let's just say they're there to keep an eye out for my best interests. Yesterday I received a call from one of them letting me know that the company's so-called Escort, Ms. Effie Trinket, had booked a flight to Kentucky. I knew who you were when I saw the car parked in front of the garage. I figured you'd made it this far, I might as well make it interesting for you."

Effie was surprised at this news and to be honest, a little pissed off. "You're telling me you have moles inside Snow Publishing, and they told you I'd be coming? Why is it so important that you remain hidden? Why the crazy demands? And why for heaven's sake are you holding out on the manuscript? It can't be for more money – your contract already entitles you to almost all of the profits from the sales and from the movie. What is your deal?" Effie tried to keep her voice low so the girls wouldn't hear their argument, but she was tired and, to be honest, the beer, and his disturbing proximity, wasn't helping.

Haymitch sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knees. "Easy, tiger! That's a whole lot more questions than I currently have the energy to answer! I will tell you this – everything I did was to protect my family. The girls were only 5 and 1 when their Father died, and then Aster lost her shit soon after. There was no way in hell I was going to let anyone snoop around in our business. Thanks to those books, Aster has the best care available and will for the rest of her life. Katie and Rosemary have trust funds that they'll take control of when they each turn 25, plus generous funds for college or whatever they want to do with their lives. No one can take that from them and I have my people at Snow to make sure no one tries."

Effie was shocked at how intense Haymitch became when talking about his family. Despite her best efforts to remain impartial, she felt her walls beginning to crumble, and she was becoming more attracted to him by the second.

Leaning back against the arm of the couch, Haymitch took another long swallow of beer. "As for the crazy demands - as you so nicely called them – frankly, I wanted to see what we could get away with. I'd read about some of the stuff rock stars or movie stars put into their contracts and I figured, what the hell! The worst they could do is say no, right? I was shocked as shit when I got Seneca Crane's letter offering me a contract with the entire list included." He laughed at the memory then finished the last of his beer, placing the empty bottle on the long table behind him.

Relaxing further he let his arm drape across the back of the couch. "I was even more shocked when the damn thing sold out the first printing and Snow picked up the option for the other books. Then the movie offers started coming in, which was really ridiculous. I mean, they're just kids books based on stories Ash and I'd made up when we were young and stupid. I can't understand why they're so popular."

Effie finished the last of her beer while digesting this new information and her empty bottle joined his on the table. "I read all of them before coming here and I have to tell you – I couldn't put them down. They're so much more than just kid's stories; they're cautionary tales of what can happen if the government is allowed to go unchecked and one person has all the power over others. They're tales of triumph over impossible odds and they give hope that things can get better if you work together. The romances that you've built into the stories make them even more engaging by showing that people who seem to have nothing in common can learn to grow and realize they're worthy of giving and receiving love."

Effie scooted closer and placed her hand on Haymitch's outstretched arm, momentarily shocked by the feel of well-defined muscle wrapped in warm skin. "If the books can have this kind of effect on someone my age, imagine what they're doing for the younger generations. Think about how many lives you've touched and made that much richer with your words. Your books will stand the test of time because the message is universal – hope and love can conquer all manner of tyranny, as long as you allow yourself to open up and accept the help of others."

Effie finished speaking, but didn't remove her hand from Haymitch's arm. He'd been watching her with hooded eyes as she spoke. Suddenly he leaned forward and took her face between his hands, and tipped her lips toward his. The kiss was soft, but filled with a passion she'd never felt before. Effie's eyes initially went wide with shock only to drift closed as Haymitch tilted her head to the side, running the tip of his tongue across her swollen lips. Her answering gasp was taken as an invitation, and he deepened the kiss, his hands gliding down her neck to her shoulders, giving him leverage to pull her even closer before enfolding her in his embrace.

Effie's hands clutched the soft material of Haymitch's shirt, again astonished by the feel of hard muscle, having expected someone with his proclivities to be of a more fleshy nature. Her senses were overwhelmed by the sharp taste of the beer and the spicy aroma of the grill, making her dizzy and lightheaded. Even though every fiber of her being screamed to keep going, the rational part of Effie's brain knew she had to put a stop to this before something happened that they both would regret.

Effie pushed against his chest with all her strength and turned her head to the side, breaking the kiss with a loud 'pop'. Haymitch still held her close, both of them panting from the exertion of their kisses. As they both came back to their senses, Haymitch loosened his hold and Effie was able to slide back to her corner of the couch. She knew she was blushing yet again and avoided looking over at Haymitch; instead looking down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

Neither spoke for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Haymitch broke the silence with his own softly spoken words. "If you're expecting me to apologize, Princess, don't hold your breath. It ain't gonna happen. You can't get all fired up like that and expect me not to react. I'm just a man, sweetheart. We're pretty simple creatures and the sight of a beautiful woman with her eyes all bright and her cheeks flushed with the passion of her words is too enticing to pass up. There ain't nothin' sexier in my humble opinion."

Effie couldn't believe what Haymitch was saying. No one had ever spoken to her so boldly, let alone  _about_ her. She felt off-balance, but she wasn't sure if that was from the beer, Haymitch's words or his kisses. Regardless, she was falling deeper and deeper under his spell, and knew if she didn't get out of there immediately, something was going to happen that would further complicate an already complex situation.

"I…I'm not feeling well. I think I'm going to go to bed. Please excuse me." Effie stood, picking up her empty beer bottle to put in the recycling bin. She avoided looking at Haymitch as she walked around the back of the couch to the kitchen.

"Whatever you say, darlin'," Haymitch drawled from the couch. "Just know that this isn't finished. I guarantee before you leave here I  _will_ crack through that prim and proper disguise you insist on showing the world and unleash the passion you're tryin' so hard to deny."

Effie's breath caught at the implication in Haymitch's words. She shook her head to clear it of the uninvited images he'd planted there and practically ran for the stairs, Haymitch's soft laughter following her all the way to the guest room.

She closed the door, and locked it for good measure, before leaning against it and blowing out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her hand shook as she raised it to her lips, still tingling from their encounter with Haymitch's scruffy beard.  _'How had things gotten so out of hand?'_ Effie thought to herself. She had known from the beginning that this project would be different in many ways from the other's she'd handled for Snow, but she had a feeling once her time in Kentucky was over, she would return to her life in the city irrevocably changed. The real question was – could she handle those changes?


	6. Chapter 6

When Effie woke the next morning, she was surprised to see it was already 10:30. She normally never slept past 8:00, even on weekends, and rarely needed an alarm to wake her. She attributed her oversleeping to all the travelling she had done in the last two days plus the excitement of meeting Haymitch and the girls. She told herself it had nothing to do with how much Haymitch's kiss had affected her, even though she had to suppress a shiver at the promise in his parting words.

With a huff, she got up and proceeded to make the bed, making sure that the corners were neatly tucked and the pillows were arranged correctly. Once she was satisfied, she took clothing for the day out of her suitcase and placed it on the bed. She then took out her toiletries and went into the adjoining bathroom. Once inside, she locked the door and started the shower.

As the bathroom filled with steam from the shower, Effie looked herself over in the mirror, taking stock of her features – a head of unruly blonde curls that looked even more ridiculous having just gotten out of bed, almond shaped blue eyes, a pert nose that turned up slightly at the end and what she considered her best feature – full red lips with a cupid's bow. She didn't consider herself beautiful in the classic sense, but she did think she had an interesting look. She'd certainly had no shortage of suitors throughout her teenage years or even into her twenties and early thirties. Now that she was closing in on forty and had no prospects, she was learning to accept her impending 'spinsterhood', as her friends liked to tease her. She'd never particularly wanted children and saw sex as something to be endured, not enjoyed. In fact, of the few men she'd slept with, only one had given her an orgasm and even then it had been helped along with her own hands.

' _No,'_ Effie thought as she regarded her reflection with a critical eye,  _'There's nothing here worth getting excited over. Haymitch was just having fun at my expense; to make me regret coming here and finding him.'_ With a resigned sigh, she turned from the mirror and stepped into the now steaming shower.

As much as Effie wanted to forget last night and to write it off as a goof, she couldn't help recalling the wonderful feelings that had swirled around inside her body when Haymitch kissed her. If she were being truly honest, those feelings began the moment she saw his picture in her dossier and have only intensified since.

She closed her eyes as the hot water cascaded down over her sensitized skin. As she ran the washcloth over her limbs, her mind kept wandering back to last night, and the feel of Haymitch's calloused hands on her face, and neck. She imagined what it would feel like to have those rough hands continue their journey across her bare skin, down to her breasts, further on to the delicate folds of her center. She was so caught up in her daydream that she didn't realize her hands had been following her thoughts until she felt an unfamiliar coiling low in her belly. Rather than stopping, Effie turned off her rational mind and let her instincts take over. It wasn't long after that she brought herself to a shuddering release under the warm spray of the shower, a pair of steely grey eyes figuring prominently in her vision.

As she came down from her post-climax high, the second in her life, Effie opened her eyes and leaned her forehead against the cool tile. She waited for her breathing to even out before washing her hair and finishing with her shower, trying not to think about the implications of what she'd just done.

Finally clean, Effie left the shower and walked to the mirror, using a corner of her towel to wipe away the condensation to reveal the image beneath. The eyes that looked back were hers but now they held an awareness that hadn't been there previously; the idea that perhaps she was a sensual being after all, and that the lonely life she'd been destined for was no longer what she wanted.

_hehehehehe_

After dressing in soft grey jeans with a lavender light weight sweater and dark grey ballet flats, Effie tamed her wild curls as best as she could and made her way downstairs. As expected, Rosemary was at school but she wasn't sure where the other occupants of the house were at the moment. A note from Katie greeted her by the coffee pot.

_Effie,_

_Ro is at school and I'm at the library for the morning, but we'll be home by lunchtime. Make yourself at home and don't worry about running into Haymitch or Mama. Neither of them ever makes an appearance before noon at the earliest._

_We'll see you later,_

_Katie_

Effie smiled. Even in a note Katie could barely conceal her annoyance, and it made Effie chuckle as she set it back down on the counter. The girls had kindly laid out an assortment of coffee for her to choose from, along with a mug and spoon. While her selection brewed, Effie looked around the large kitchen for something to have for breakfast. She settled on a large fluffy biscuit that looked to be homemade and some sweet strawberry preserves she found in the refrigerator. She carried everything outside to the patio and sat at the table, which was currently still shaded from the strong rays of the sun.

Effie was enjoying the peaceful morning when she heard the patio door slide open. She turned to look, expecting it to be Haymitch, but instead it was none other than Aster Everdeen. Effie closed her mouth, which had opened in shock at the sight of the frail woman before her.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" she asked Effie in a faint voice. She seemed confused by the presence of an unknown woman in the house, but not exactly alarmed.

Effie stood up and approached her slowly so as not to frighten her. She decided to completely forego the 'distant cousin' ruse and answered honestly. "My name is Effie and I'm a friend of Haymitch's. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Everdeen." She held her hand out to the other woman in greeting.

Aster looked at Effie's hand, then back up to her face. "A friend of Haymitch? Haymitch doesn't have any friends. At least none that aren't in the shape of a bottle." Aster muttered to herself, but Effie still caught what she said.

She had to stifle a laugh before addressing Aster again. "He and I have only just met. I'm a big fan of his writing."

Aster seemed genuinely confused for a moment. "Writing? Do you mean those silly stories he and Ash are always telling the girls? I can't believe anyone is interested in them, let alone someone as pretty as you."

Effie blushed for what felt like the thousandth time since arriving in Kentucky. "Well, Mrs. Everdeen, I am interested in them. I greatly enjoyed the books and I'm looking forward to the movies when they come out."

Aster laughed at this and joined Effie at the table. "Good Lord, now they're making movies. I swear those boys are constantly coming up with crazy ideas. Someday they'll grow up and realize storytelling won't put food on the table or keep a roof over our heads."

Effie realized at that moment that Aster was speaking of her husband in the present tense, as if he were still alive and making up tall tales with Haymitch. She wasn't sure how to proceed or if she should point out the fact that her husband has been gone for many, many years. Instead, she reverted back to the manners her mother had drilled into her as a girl. "Mrs. Everdeen, I want to thank you for your hospitality. Why don't you stay here in the shade and I'll get you something to eat. Sound good?"

"Effie, a friend of Haymitch's is family to me. Please call me Aster. I would love some tea and one of those delicious looking biscuits, if you don't mind."

"Thank you, Aster. I'll be right back with that tea and biscuit." Effie patted the other woman's hand then walked back into the kitchen.

She was further surprised to find Haymitch leaning against island watching her. He looked tired but sober, his quicksilver eyes shining in the morning sun slanting through the window. His hair was damp from a recent shower and as she walked closer, she could smell the faint aroma of his musky soap wafting off his skin, causing her heart to flip flop in her chest and warmth to pool at her core. It didn't help that he was wearing snug fitting jeans and a dark green tee-shirt that stretched taut over the planes of his chest and abs, highlighting the defined muscles she'd felt under her palms last night.

She couldn't decipher the look on his face as he watched her prepare tea for Aster. She split a biscuit and put it on a plate, deciding to bring out a selection of butter and preserves rather than just choosing one. Haymitch regarded her silently the entire time, not moving or taking his eyes off of her.

Effie felt like she was going to burst into flame from the intensity of Haymitch's gaze; to the point where the whistle of the tea kettle made her jump as if scalded.

The spell finally broken, Haymitch spoke. "You and Aster seem to be getting along like peas and carrots. You didn't tell her why you're here, did you?" His concern for his cousin's widow was evident in his voice and manner.

"Of course not!" Effie replied, slightly insulted that he would think she'd be so careless. "I told her I was a friend of yours and that we'd met because of the books. That seemed to confuse her at first since you seem to only make friends with bottles, but she got over it."

Haymitch barked out a laugh at this comment. "Boy, she may be crazier than a shit-house rat, but she can still sling a good insult."

Effie was surprised that he referred to Aster as 'crazy', especially to someone who was still pretty much a stranger. "I wouldn't say she's crazy. She's clearly living some kind of delusion where she believes her husband is still alive, but that's not crazy. I can't believe you'd insult her that way!"

"Whoa! Slow down, retract those claws, Kitten." Haymitch held his hands up in supplication. "I didn't mean any harm. Aster is like a sister to me, but now that you met her, you know she's not all there anymore. It's been this way since Ash died. She has a few hours a day where she'll come out of her room like nothing happened and Ash is just out at work; then something will remind her that he's gone and she shuts down completely. Just devastates the girls, especially Katie since she remembers what Aster was like before Ash died. This is why I need to make sure my private life stays private. Do you understand?"

Effie could tell he was pleading with her to understand more than just the privacy situation. He was asking her to understand his life and why he had to keep things the way they were; why he couldn't allow outsiders into Aster or the girl's lives. She also understood that he was placing a huge amount of trust in her by allowing her to stay at the house and interact with the family. It was the  _why_  that eluded her. She hoped it would become clearer in time.

Haymitch left Effie and Aster to their own devices and the two spent the day outside. They walked the trails marked in the woods, or just sat and talked. Effie found herself enjoying the older woman's company, despite the fact that she was stuck almost 20 years in the past. She felt like they could have been friends, if the situation weren't built on the lies she'd told to Katie and Rosemary.

They were walking back to the house around lunchtime when Aster's fragile mental state had had enough. An early dandelion was poking its yellow head through the grass and as soon as she saw it, Aster froze. Effie noticed Aster was no longer beside her, and turned to see what was wrong. That's when she saw Aster's face crumble in despair as she dropped to the ground and began sobbing uncontrollably. Not knowing what else to do, Effie ran into the house, shouting for Haymitch. She had no idea which room was his but ran upstairs anyway, trying every door as she went.

He wasn't upstairs, but Effie remembered Katie saying something about an office above the garage so she ran there instead. She could hear Aster's wails from the backyard as she took the stairs on the side of the garage two at a time. She didn't stop to knock, just threw open the door and ran inside. She had to stop quickly, though, when she caught sight of a shirtless Haymitch standing on the far side of the room. He had looked up when she burst through the door but made no move to put his shirt back on. He just stood there with his hands on his hips, waiting for Effie to make the next move.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from his broad chest with a smattering of dark hair that led down his tapered waist to his navel and beyond. He had a tattoo of the Mockingjay symbol on the left side of his chest above his heart and another one on the right side, this time of a pair of wings with a skull in the middle. The sight was more than Effie's already flustered mind could handle, making it an effort to get her mouth to form coherent words.

"See anything you like, Princess?" Haymitch drawled as he took a step closer.

Effie could feel her mouth moving, but no sound came out. Finally her brain caught up and got her voice to work. "Aster! She's collapsed in the yard. Please, Haymitch, come quickly. I don't know what to do!"

All playfulness disappeared from Haymitch's demeanor as he pulled his shirt back on and bounded to the door and down the stairs. Effie followed close behind, almost running into him when he stopped quickly before walking around the corner of the house. Haymitch walked over to where Aster lay in the grass, arms wrapped around knees pulled up to her chest. He knelt down next to her and ran his hand over her hair in a soothing manner.

"Hey Aster, honey. It's Mitch. What's going on, buttercup?" he spoke slowly and in a calm voice so he didn't startle her.

"He…..he's gone. Haymitch, he's gone. What am I gonna do? I can't live without him!" Aster wailed as Haymitch gathered her into his arms, and cradled her like a baby. As they rocked to and fro, he rubbed her back and sang:

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when you awake, the sun will rise.

_Here it's safe, here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I love you._

Effie watched from the corner of the house, completely in awe of how compassionate he was towards Aster, feeling another chink in her armor opening up. The other woman's sobs gradually faded as Haymitch sang until she was humming along with him. Haymitch picked her up and carried her into the house, presumably up to her room.

Effie watched them go and then leaned against the side of the house and closed her eyes. "What the hell am I doing here?" she asked herself out loud. "I'm just intruding on their lives and for what? A stupid book? This is crazy, I need to leave. To hell with Seneca."

She pushed away from the house and ran around the corner, intending to pack her bags and leave before she got in any deeper. Haymitch was just coming back down the stairs, ever present silver flask in hand, when she came into the house.

Unsure of what to do, Effie stopped on the threshold. "Is that what always happens?"

"Nah," Haymitch wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Usually she just lapses into silence and stares off into the distance. She hasn't been this bad since she saw Katie wearing his old leather jacket. What happened out there to set her off?"

"We were coming back from a walk in the woods and she saw a dandelion. Next thing I knew she was on the ground, sobbing." Effie almost broke down herself remembering the sight.

Haymitch nodded his head. "Dandelions were kinda her and Ash's thing. Something about hope and rebirth, I dunno, I never paid too much attention to the lovey-dovey stuff. "

"Will she be ok?" Effie asked after a moment.

"Yeah. She'll sleep it off then be right as rain tomorrow, or as right as she can be." He smirked before taking another swig from the flask. Again, Effie felt like she'd seen it somewhere before, but as quickly as the thought came it was gone from her mind.

"So, I was thinking maybe I should leave. I'm intruding here and..." Effie started.

"Hold on there, Princess." Haymitch interrupted her, "A deal's a deal. You want the book, you have to stay here." He spoke softly and was standing so close that she could smell his soap again. This time, though, there was another scent, something sweet that he must have been drinking. The sweetness was also familiar, but she couldn't quite determine what sort of alcohol it could be.

Effie knew she was in deep trouble when he leaned forward slightly and her eyes automatically closed in anticipation of his kiss. Instead, Haymitch started to chuckle and ran his fingertip along her lips. "Oh, my dear, you have no idea the effect you can have, do you?"

Effie's eyes fluttered open and her lips parted at his touch. She wanted nothing more at this moment than to feel his lips on hers again. Every cell in her body came alive in anticipation as Haymitch took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting ever so slightly. Effie's mind screamed  _'Yes, yes, yes!'_ as her fingers burned to touch him, their bodies drifting closer and closer together.

With a bang, the front door slammed open and Rosemary came bounding into the kitchen with Katie not far behind. Effie jumped away from Haymitch, fruitlessly willing the oncoming blush not to appear. Haymitch however remained where he'd been, staring at her like a dying man who finally found an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Alarm bells rang in her mind as her heart continued to beat erratically, a belated warning that she was quickly becoming too enthralled by this man, by the complex nature hidden behind the gruff exterior. He was dangerous, that much was certain. The few glimpses she'd had of this other Haymitch, the one that cared for his cousin's family as if they were his own, the one that would do anything to protect them, whether it was a song to ease painful memories, or giving up his own relative freedom to protect their privacy, was enough to tell Effie she was in way over her head this time. Curiously, it wasn't the fact that the idea of drowning in this man, of surrendering herself body and soul, wasn't nearly as frightening a prospect as it should have been, rather it was the feeling that in Haymitch she'd found the home she didn't realize until this moment she'd been searching for.

 


	7. Chapter 7

The next few days fell into a sort of pattern for Effie – breakfast with Aster when she was lucid, lunch with Rosemary or Katie later in the afternoon, and the rest of the time avoiding Haymitch at all costs. The only times she couldn't escape him were at dinner, which was fine because the girls were there as a buffer, and in her increasingly vivid dreams late at night. The dreams were particularly concerning as with each passing day Effie could feel her resolve to stay away from him weakening.

On Friday morning, she and Aster were just finishing up their breakfast on the patio when Haymitch sauntered outside to join them. He pulled out the ever present flask and took a quick swig as he sat down at the table. Effie thought she saw something pink in the corner of his mouth but his tongue quickly swiped it away before she could be sure.

"Mornin', ladies," he greeted them both with a smile. "Anyone interested in a swim?"

Aster lit up considerably at the idea. "Oh, yes. That's a great idea!"

Effie was suspicious of Haymitch's suggestion, especially when she caught sight of the hungry look in his eye. "That does sound delightful, but unfortunately I didn't bring any swimwear." She hoped this would get her off the hook, but of course the odds weren't in her favor.

"That's no problem at all. We're about the same size; you can borrow one of mine. Please, Effie, say you'll come with us!" Aster practically begged Effie to agree.

Effie felt cornered but she couldn't deny the sweet, fragile woman she'd come to know well over the last few days a chance for some fun. "Ok, if you're sure you don't mind." Aster clapped her hands like a little girl and stood up from the table.

"Come on! Let's go get changed." She grabbed Effie's hand and pulled her up as well, dragging her to the patio door. As they went inside, Effie looked back at Haymitch who was smirking like the Cheshire Cat. She had a feeling this situation was going to spiral out of her control pretty quickly.

Only moments later, Aster and Effie re-emerged from the house. Aster had on a plain green one-piece suit, and had insisted that Effie wear her red two-piece, even though the top was a size too big, causing the straps to constantly slip off her shoulder. They'd wrapped towels around themselves, but Effie was still extremely self-conscious in the tiny bikini.

While they'd been upstairs, Haymitch had pulled some floating lounge chairs from the cabana and they were currently floating around the pool. He'd also produced a bottle of sunscreen and was currently applying some to his chest and arms, which were bare. Dark blue board shorts rode low on his narrow hips, and a trail of dark hair led from his navel to below the waistband. Effie had never realized just how intimate swimwear could be, especially on someone as provocative as Haymitch.

"Hey Princess, care to do me a favor and rub some of this on my back?" he waved the bottle in Effie's direction. Tensing, she instinctively grasped her towel tighter to her body as she walked over to where he was standing in the shade, and wordlessly accepted the bottle of sunscreen from his outstretched hand.

With another of his trademark smirks in her direction, Haymitch turned and crossed his arms across his chest. Effie hesitated, trying desperately to get her breathing under control and to stop the rapid pounding of her heart. She knew exactly what he was trying to do to her and she was ashamed to say it was working, as evidenced by the way her hands shook as she squeezed the creamy white liquid into her palm.

"I appreciate you admirin' the view, sweetheart, but we're burnin' daylight here," Haymitch tossed over his shoulder at the still rattled Effie.

Effie closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. Exhaling, she rubbed her palms together then placed her hands on Haymitch's shoulders and began to massage the lotion into his shoulders and back. She felt that jolt of electricity again; the same one she'd felt every time they'd touched. A wave of desire rolled down her spine and settled low in her belly as she continued to work. His skin was warm, making the smell of his soap even stronger and Effie felt herself becoming intoxicated from the aroma.

She paused for more sunscreen then worked her hands down Haymitch's spine, outward to his sides and around the waistband of his swim trunks. Effie couldn't help letting her fingers trail along his ribs and was rewarded with his sharp intake of breath. Feeling a bit bolder, she let her thumbs graze a bit lower over the fabric covering his well sculpted ass, eliciting a low moan from deep in his throat.

"Be careful, Princess," he warned in a soft voice, "You're playin' with fire and I'd hate for your pretty self to get burned."

The deep timbre of his voice gave away the desire building at her touch, and Effie allowed herself to revel in it for a moment. Then, with boldness she never knew she possessed, she said to Haymitch in a sultry voice, "My turn, cowboy."

She'd barely gotten the words out when Haymitch spun around and took Effie in his arms, crushing her to him and covering her mouth with his. This kiss was nothing like the other ones they'd shared. This kiss contained all the pent up desire and frustration that had been building and burning for the last few days. Deep in the recesses of her mind, Effie knew the proper thing to do would be to stop him before things got too far out of hand but in the heat of the moment she didn't give a damn. Right now, all she wanted was to feel his hands on her skin and his hard body pressed against her own softer one.

As if he could read her mind, Haymitch pulled away just enough to loosen the towel Effie had wrapped around her body, tugging until it fell away, only to be tossed off to the side somewhere. He molded her body against his, and she let out a moan as their bare skin touched for the first time. Haymitch wove his arms around Effie's back; one hand found its way up into her hair, cradling her head as he plundered her mouth with kisses. The other hand was spread out across the small of her back, holding her prisoner with the gentlest hint of pressure.

Effie's own hands were buried in Haymitch's long dark hair, holding on for dear life as she kissed him with a fervor that matched his own. A gentle tug on the strands earned her another throaty growl; a scrape of her nails across his scalp rewarded her with his hand grasping her hip as his own thrust forward. She could feel him, all of him, hard against her belly and the heady knowledge that she had caused this reaction, that she had this much of an effect on him was enough to cause a flood of wetness between her legs.

Suddenly Haymitch broke away and growled, "Come with me." He took her hand and pulled her towards the little shed in the back corner. The brief reprieve allowed Effie to regain some sanity about the situation.

She dug her heels into the grass, causing Haymitch to stop quickly. "Wait! What about Aster?" As much as Effie wanted what was sure to happen when they entered that shed, she didn't like the idea of leaving the other woman alone in the pool.

A wide grin split Haymitch's face. "She went back inside about 15 minutes ago. It's just you and me now, sweetheart."

Effie turned back to the pool and saw that it was indeed empty, except for the loungers. She then realized that he'd planned for this to happen. He knew how Aster's illness worked and he took full advantage knowing that she'd leave them alone. Hell, he probably even knew she had the bikini and would make Effie wear the skimpy excuse for a swim suit. Everything she'd been taught told her she should be pissed at the deception but she was too far gone, too crazed with desire to care at this point.

Instead Effie turned back to Haymitch and said two words -"Let's go."

He didn't need to be told twice. Haymitch swept Effie up into his arms and pretty much ran to the shed, only setting her down long enough to fish the padlock key out of his pocket. Effie had to stifle a smile at this. Clearly he'd had no intention of getting into that pool today.

Haymitch took the lock off of the shed door and hesitated, suddenly looking unsure. "Listen, what you're gonna see in here has to remain our little secret. Ok?"

Effie wanted to laugh and tell him that everyone already knew about his still, but he looked serious. "Cross my heart," she said solemnly and made the crisscross motion over her left breast. Haymitch followed the path of her finger with his eyes then swallowed and opened up the door.

Effie stepped inside the shed, expecting to see some contraption with pipes and jars attached. What she found instead left her speechless. Along one wall was a futon that was currently in the upright position, with end tables on either side. Directly across from the futon was a large flat screen TV that was mounted to the wall. Underneath that was a low table that held a satellite TV receiver and several other electronic components, including some video game consoles. To the right of the door was a little kitchenette with a small fridge, a microwave oven and a table with two chairs. There was also a desk with an internet hook-up but the computer was missing. Effie supposed he had a laptop that he just brought with him when he needed to work.

Haymitch closed the door behind her with a click, effectively breaking the spell Effie had been under since entering. "Welcome to my man cave, Princess."

Effie turned to him, completely confused. "But what about the still? The smoke coming out of the chimney?"

Haymitch chuckled and said, "I never said I had one, nor did I say where the smoke was from. I do like my moonshine, yes, but I don't brew my own. My buddy Chaff has a still and he keeps me in mountain dew. As for the smoke….well, that's a trick to keep nosy eyes away."

"But why? Don't you have the office above the garage and a room in the house? Why do you need all this as well?" Effie asked him, genuinely confused.

"Honey, have you ever been the only male in a house full of females? Y'all are hard to handle on a normal day, but throw in your monthly present, which is made even more special when it happens to all of them at the same time, and it's enough to make a man run for the hills. I let them think I'm out here gettin' drunk so I can have some peace and quiet."

Effie couldn't believe what he was telling her. He let everyone assume he was out here drinking himself stupid when in reality he was hiding from the women of the house. If he could lie about this, what else was he lying about?

"Now, where were we?" Haymitch murmured as he bent down to kiss Effie's neck. He didn't get very far as she pushed him away and walked to the other side of the small room.

"Just hold on a minute, Mister," Effie said, holding her hand out in front of her. "How can you just lie to them like that? They're your family and they trust you but you'd rather let them think you're an alcoholic rather than just telling them you need your own space? How does that make any sense?"

"You're one to talk, Princess!" he countered, "You've been lying to my family all week in the hopes of getting that manuscript. How is that any different than what I'm doing?"

"The difference is," she threw back at him, "I'll be gone in two days and they'll forget about me. They'll never find out what I've done, but it's just a matter of time before your little secret comes out. How do you think they'll respond?"

"Is that what you think, Princess?" His tone was softer now, almost disbelieving. "I can guarantee that's not true." He walked slowly towards her as he spoke. "Aster hasn't spent this much time out of her room since before Ash died. It's done wonders for her to have someone else to talk to that doesn't remind her of what she lost. Rosemary clearly adores your fashion sense, and Katie hasn't been as surly since you showed up. Believe me, if you knew how rare that was, you wouldn't think they could forget you so easily." He was standing right before her now.

"And you?" Effie asked in a breathless voice. "Will you forget about me when I'm gone?"

"Impossible." Haymitch's hands came up to cup Effie's face as he moved in to softly caress her lips with his. "You've ruined me for other women, Princess." He kissed her again, and this time she kissed him back.

It was as if the last few minutes never happened as they picked up where they'd left off by the pool. Their kisses became more and more frantic as hands roamed their almost naked forms. Effie felt the heat, the hunger, building within her and knew she had to have more. Unable to put into words what she wanted, Effie pressed her breasts against Haymitch's chest in a silent plea which he answered by sliding his hands up her back and unhooking the bra-top of her bikini.

His fingertips ghosted over her shoulders as he slowly slid the straps down her arms. Without breaking their kiss, Haymitch drew her arms out one at a time, letting the top fall to the floor between them.

Effie sighed into his mouth as the hair on his hard chest scratched against her sensitive nipples, causing them to pucker and harden. She felt, rather than heard, as Haymitch moaned deep in his throat as she pressed her body more firmly against him. Finally breaking apart, he rested his forehead against hers as they both fought to regain their breath.

"Please tell me you want this as much as I do," he pleaded with her.

"Yes," she answered hoarsely, her thoughts in a daze.

That was all Haymitch needed to hear before scooping her up again and walking to the futon. He sat down, keeping her in his lap, and peppered small kisses all over her face.

"Yes," she said again and Haymitch took this as encouragement to tip her back so he could plant hot, open kisses along her neck and collarbone.

Shifting slightly, Haymitch's gaze wandered over Effie's naked breasts in the dim light of the room. "Perfect," he whispered, "absolutely fucking perfect."

He noted her reaction, the burning desire in her eyes, and slid his hand further up her rib cage to gently knead one soft mound. Effie's head fell back with an open mouth sigh as Haymitch laid her down fully on the futon. Taking his time, he continued his path along her inflamed skin as he rolled her rosy peaks between his thumb and forefinger, igniting sparks along her languid limbs.

' _I've never felt so amazing,'_ Effie deliriously thought as Haymitch continued his ministrations. Suddenly, his fingers were replaced by something warm and wet closing over her nipple with a gentle suction. The sensations were almost her undoing; at least until she felt his tongue rasp over the hardened nub. She cried out in pleasure as her back arched off of the futon, desperate for more.

Effie could feel her arousal soaking through her bikini bottoms and the only coherent thought her muddled mind could form was that she needed more  _NOW._

She covered one of his large rough hands with her own softer one, and nudged it downward, hoping he'd pick up on her intent. She could feel him smile against her skin as he did indeed start trailing his fingers down across her belly. He moved slowly, taking his time and making her squirm in anticipation. Haymitch let his fingertips glide beneath the waistband of her bikini bottom, stroking the soft flesh hidden beneath. Effie could already feel the fluttering deep inside and she knew it wouldn't take much to push her over the edge.

"Please, Haymitch," she keened as she tried to keep from just grabbing his hand and putting it where she needed it to be.

Haymitch scorched her with his molten eyes. "My pleasure, sweetheart."

Ever so slowly, his fingertip grazed her most sensitive area, making Effie's hips buck up against his hand in an effort to relieve the exquisite tension thrumming through her body.

"Now, now, darlin'," he chuckled at her obvious need, "I've been waiting a long time for this, and I want to take my time."

Effie barely registered his words as she groaned in frustration and moved her hips again, silently pleading with him to finish what he had started. "You keep squirming like that, and this is gonna be over before it begins."

Again feeling a boldness she'd never experienced before, Effie decided enough was enough. "I see I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands," she told him as she rolled away, and off of the futon. Haymitch watched as she stood before him, his eyes widening in shock as she shimmied out of the bikini bottom and tossed it aside.

His gaze traveled languidly over her nude form, and Effie forced her arms to remain at her side rather than crossing over her exposed areas. She swallowed as she waited for his reaction, her throat as dry as the desert.

"My God," he breathed reverently as he stood before her, "you are so damn beautiful."

His words caressed her, leaving her dizzy with want. "Take me, Haymitch. Make me yours."

No further words were needed as they came together, a conflagration of limbs, and lips, pulling and stroking, building the fire inside them to new heights. Haymitch's shorts soon joined Effie's bikini somewhere on the floor, and she pushed him down onto the futon, straddling his thighs with her own.

In Effie's very limited experience, sex always felt like something she was obligated to do to, rather than something she wanted to do, and never before had she done anything out of the ordinary. But now, in this shed, with this man, she felt like a Goddess, ready to taste every forbidden fruit she could lay her hands upon.

"So, Princess, now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me?"

Haymitch's whiskey soaked voice conjured up all sorts of erotic ideas, and her body trembled in anticipation. Effie pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered her next move. She knew she wanted him, but wasn't quite sure of the mechanics now that she was in this position. Hesitantly she glanced down, and sucked in a deep breath at the sight of his arousal resting long and heavy between them.

"I..um…I'm not sure." Effie answered honestly. He was easily the largest she'd ever seen, let alone been with, and she doubted whether she could handle all of him.

"I'll take that as a compliment, sweetheart."

Picking up on her unspoken plea for him to take control, Haymitch tugged on her hips, urging her body closer. Thick fingers traced her spine, causing tiny shivers of delight to dance along her sensitive skin as the heat continued to gather at her core. His large palm pressed her backside, urging her closer still. Effie felt every hard ridge of him nestled between her silken folds, and gave in to her primitive instincts. Each thrust of her hips brought more and more delicious contact at the apex of her thighs, and she used that friction to climb closer and closer to the edge.

Haymitch moved his hips in tandem, and the extra push was all she needed to fall over the cliff into blissful sensation.

"Yes, Haymitch. Oh fuck yes!" Effie cried as she came, not one bit concerned about how loud she was being.

"God damn, sweetheart," Haymitch panted then with an agility she would never have expected, he spun them so that Effie was once again laid out along the cushion. She was grateful for the change, as her orgasm had left her boneless and unable to support herself much longer.

Vaguely she heard him rummaging around on the floor, cursing under his breath as he looked for something in the dim light of the one lamp. She watched him through half-lidded eyes, appreciating the sculpted muscles of his ass as he moved, and felt something stir inside her again.

"A-ha!" Triumphant, Haymitch returned to the futon with a small foil packet in one hand, his discarded swim trunks in the other.

"Pretty sure of yourself, huh?" Effie joked as she rose up on her elbows.

"Nah. I was a Boy Scout and we were taught to always be prepared." He flashed a winning smile as he rolled the thin latex down his shaft before settling next to her on the futon. "Now, where were we?"

Effie looped one arm around his neck, and pulled him closer. "I believe somewhere around here."

Boldly Effie reached between them, reveling in his sharp intake of air as her fingers caressed his velvety smooth cock. Haymitch sucked in a shuddering breath before he halted her movements. His eyes met hers in the dim lamplight as he slowly shook his head, "There's another time for that, darlin'."

A shiver ran down her spine at the implication of his heated words. Hesitantly she glanced up at him as the reality of what was about to happen finally settled in. Uncertainty loomed in Effie's mind, threatening to overwhelm the fervent desire coursing through her veins.

"Oh no you don't," he growled as their lips met in a surprisingly gentle kiss, "Don't over-think, or over-analyze, just let me make you feel good."

Effie closed her eyes and concentrated on pushing her doubts and insecurities aside. She nodded once, giving him the go-ahead, and had a brief moment of panic as she felt him nestled between her folds.

"Ready, sweetheart?" There was a hint of something in his voice that she couldn't quite put her finger on, but it was enough to quell any lingering concerns.

"Ready," she answered with a kiss as he tilted her hip, and entered her in one long thrust. He paused, giving them both a moment to adjust to the sensation – he to the grip of her velvety walls, she to the fullness of him inside her.

Effie felt him tremble with the effort not to move, and a wave of unfamiliar emotion washed over her. For as gruff and rude as Haymitch could be on the outside, she was learning there was an equally caring and compassionate man on the inside. A man that she realized she was dangerously close to falling for, if it hadn't happened already.

Pushing those thoughts aside for the time being, Effie kissed the shell of Haymitch's ear and whispered, "Go ahead."

Grey locked on blue as he moved above her; the tempo increasing as they gave themselves over to pleasure. Every thrust filled her completely as he reached places no one had before, both physically and emotionally. The swirling sensation she'd experienced earlier returned, stronger this time as the tip of his cock brushed a place deep inside that made her toes curl. Delicious heat simmered low in her belly, and spread until she was engulfed in flames that sizzled along her veins. Effie's breathy cry rang out once again, joined moments later by Haymitch's own throaty pleasure as he came inside of her.

Time stood still as they came down from their respective highs, the ability for speech beyond them. Effie's thoughts ping-ponged all over the place as the repercussions of what they'd just done began to claw their way forward. A boundary had been crossed, one Effie had always considered unalterable, and undoubtedly a price would need to be paid.

As if he sensed her beginning to pull away emotionally, Haymitch pulled out and lay on his side, wrapping his arm around Effie's waist to hold her close to his cooling body. "Don't think, Princess. Just let go of whatever is going on in that pretty head of yours, and enjoy the moment. I've got you," he murmured into her ear.

' _That's entirely the problem,'_ Effie's troubled mind responded. "I need to clean up. What if someone comes looking for us?"

Haymitch turned her chin, and looked into her blue eyes, searching yet again for the answer to some unknown question. "Ok, we'll play it your way. For now. Just know that this isn't over between us; not by a long shot."

With a searing kiss he released her, content to remain on the futon while Effie hurried to find her discarded clothing. She had just finished putting the bikini back on when a loud knock startled them back into reality.

"Haymitch? Are you in there? Mama said you and Effie were swimming, but I can't find her." Rosemary's voice washed over them like a bucket of cold water, effectively bringing their liaison to an end.

Effie threw and  _'I told you so'_  look over her shoulder to Haymitch, who looked completely unconcerned about being nude while his niece was on the other side of the door.

"Yes, Rosemary, we're in here. Is something the matter?" Effie fought to keep her frazzled nerves out of her voice.

"Why're you in there? Do you even like moonshine? Can I come in?" Rosemary's questions filled the small shed, making Effie more nervous and uncomfortable.

"I'll be right out, ok?" She yelled back, hoping that the young girl's curiosity wouldn't result in an incredibly embarrassing situation.

"Ok. We're gonna go swimming so we'll see you at the pool." Rosemary's voice faded as she walked away.

Effie released the breath she'd been holding and collapsed back against the door. "That was close."

"You don't know the half of it, sweetheart," Haymitch's muffled voice came from the futon cushion.

Effie straightened herself up the best she could without a mirror and hoped her skin didn't show any obvious signs of their carnal activities in the shed. "I'm going to head out."

"Next time you won't get away so easily, Princess." She turned and saw he had propped himself up on his elbows, her eyes taking full stock of his glorious body. "This isn't the end. Mark my words, sweetheart." She shivered from the intensity of his eyes and the promise intimated by his words, nodding slightly before slipping out of the door.


	8. Chapter 8

Luck was on her side as neither girl commented on her flushed cheeks, or the fact that she'd been found in the shed. The rest of the day and evening passed in a blur to Effie, her thoughts split between reliving those heated moments in the shed, and breathless curiosity about the 'next time' Haymitch mentioned.

Clearly he wanted a repeat performance, and while Effie knew in her head that the right thing to do would be to pack up and leave immediately before things spiraled even further out of control, her heart had other ideas. The line had already been crossed, and had from the moment she landed in Kentucky, so really what was the harm in one more giant step into chaos?

Throughout dinner that night she tried to keep things casual around the others, giving no outward sign of the internal battle raging inside, but Haymitch seemed to have other ideas. Whenever he passed there was the feather-light brush of his fingertips on her arm or across the small of her back; heated looks filled with unspoken promises, little things that kept the flames of desire stoked, and ready to flare. At one point Effie noticed Katie giving her a quizzical look; it was as if even she could feel the tension passing between the two of them.

By the time dinner ended, Effie's nerves were stretched to the breaking point. "I'm going to bed," she announced to the others.

Rosemary looked disappointed. "Do you have to? I was hoping you could tell us more about life in the city!"

"I'm sorry, Ro. All that sun today just wore me out. I'm not leaving until Sunday, so we'll have all day tomorrow to talk, ok?" Effie did her best to appease the girl, but she really just needed to get away from Haymitch, and the exquisite way he affected her libido.

"That's right! You're leaving soon! We need to make sure we make s'mores tomorrow night, then!" Rosemary's enthusiasm was hard to deny.

"You've got a deal!" Effie smiled at her as she stood up.

"Good-night, Katie." This was met with silence and another curious, almost quizzical look. Effie felt like Katie was sizing her up again, just like she did in the diner.

Whatever Katie had been thinking passed by as the younger woman replied, "Good-night to you as well."

Effie turned to Haymitch and tried to keep a tremor from her voice as she said, "Good-night, Haymitch."

His eyes caressed her from head to toe, and she knew he was picturing her lying on the futon in the shed. He saluted her with the ever-present flask, "Sweet dreams, Princess."

Shuddering at the thinly veiled innuendo of his words, Effie turned and rushed up to her room as fast as she could without making it obvious that he affected her. Once inside, she closed the door and leaned against it; letting her head drop back with a soft thud. She sighed deeply, finally letting go of the breath she'd held all through dinner before pushing away from the door, and rummaging through her suitcase for something to wear to bed.

The night was warm, and despite having air conditioning throughout the house, the humidity had crept in, turning her hair into an even more riotous mess of curls than usual. It also meant that sleeping in her usual cotton pajamas would be out of the question, not if she wanted to be comfortable. If she were home, where there was no threat of anyone seeing her, she'd sleep nude. However in this house, with the constant lure of Haymitch just down the hall, Effie decided some modesty was in order. She dug out a pale blue satin camisole with matching boy-shorts, the best compromise she had at the moment.

Once she was changed and had washed up, she settled down on the bed and waited for her turbulent mind to calm. As the minutes ticked by, Effie's eyelids grew heavier and heavier until she had fallen asleep.

She awoke with a start several hours later; a glance at the clock told her it was after midnight. As she pulled back the blanket and rearranged herself in bed, images from the dream she'd been having floated into her mind.

She'd been sitting in Seneca's office, just as she had a few days ago, but this time Haymitch was sitting behind the desk. He was talking to her about something that her mind couldn't recall, but then he picked up the silver flask and unscrewed the top, pouring the contents into the steaming mug of coffee sitting on the desk between them. Effie realized with a start what had jarred her from the dream – the flask Haymitch had been using all week was the same as the one Seneca had in his office. Another memory surfaced in Effie's mind, of a symbol etched into both flasks – a pair of wings with a skull in the middle; just like Haymitch's tattoo.

She felt as if her world had shifted on its axis, questions pinging back and forth like a pinball. How was it possible that Seneca and Haymitch both had flasks with the same symbol as the tattoo? As far as she knew, as far as anyone knew, Haymitch had never been to the offices of Snow Publishing, and no one had ever met him in person other than her. Was she merely just a piece in a bigger game? Effie had plenty of questions for both men, but she had a sinking feeling that she wasn't going to like the answers.

_hehehehehe_

Effie woke up Saturday morning with an aching head, and feeling more exhausted than if she'd just stayed up all night. Once she'd made the connection between the flasks and Haymitch's tattoo, she couldn't shut her mind off. Every time she managed to doze off for a few minutes, a new question popped into her head, pulling her back from sleep.

One thought kept her from completely unraveling – she was leaving tomorrow to return to the City, hopefully with the final draft manuscript in hand. She didn't know if she could make it through today without confronting Haymitch but she didn't want to make a scene in front of the others. That would lead to too many  _other_ questions and frankly, she just didn't have the stomach for those at the moment.

Ultimately, Effie decided to do what she did best – pretend nothing had changed and keep playing her role. It was just another 24 hours until she was gone from here; how hard could it really be?

The decision made, Effie got out of bed and took a shower before dressing and joining the others downstairs for breakfast. Aster hadn't yet come down but Haymitch and the girls were in the kitchen watching Pete make decadent panettone French toast. Effie had discovered this week that Pete had quite the talent in the kitchen, especially when it came to baked goods. She was already missing the warm, salty flavor of the cheese buns he had sent home with Katie every night for dinner.

Everyone looked up when she entered the kitchen. Pete gave her his usual sunny smile, and she could see excitement in Rosemary's eyes, suspicion in Katie's and an apology in Haymitch's. Effie decided to ignore Haymitch and said Good Morning to the others before helping herself to some orange juice.

"Sleep well, Sunshine?" Haymitch asked her in a lazy voice.

"Yes, thank you. I haven't slept that well in a long time." Effie replied to him with her biggest fake smile.

Haymitch actually looked hurt by her admission that she'd slept fine. She guessed he'd wanted her to toss and turn thinking about him, which she did, but not for the reason he was probably hoping for.

Katie kept giving Effie odd looks throughout breakfast, but didn't say anything. Effie had a feeling that would change as soon as the younger woman could get her alone, though. She decided to help things along by volunteering to help Katie with the breakfast dishes. Rosemary dragged Pete off to show him some funny cat gifs she'd seen on Tumblr, while Haymitch, with a questioning glance back at Effie, went off to some other part of the house, leaving the two women alone.

"Effie, I know this is none of my business, but what's going on between you and Haymitch?" Katie asked after a tense few minutes of silence.

Effie sighed as she thought about how to answer. She wanted to tell Katie the truth but Haymitch had made her promise not to say anything about the book. She also wanted to ask Katie about the tattoo to see if she could figure out the connection between him and Seneca. "We've only just met, Katie. He and I have some things in common and we enjoy each other's company, but that's all. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and probably won't be back."

Katie nodded at this and actually looked a little disappointed. "Look, I need to say something and I hope you don't find this rude, but I need to get it off my chest." She turned off the water and faced Effie. "When I was 5, my father died and my mother….well, you've seen what happened there. Ro and I were pretty much abandoned and would have ended up in foster care if Haymitch hadn't stepped in when he did. He used his pension from the Army to buy the property from the bank after they foreclosed and he built this house for us with the money from the sale of his first book. He basically raised Ro and me, which I know wasn't easy at times. Not once during all of that time do I ever recall him having a girlfriend or even being interested in a woman. I'd heard stories in town about some woman long ago before he enlisted, but he doesn't like to talk about any of that. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this week I've seen a new Haymitch. One that doesn't spend all of his time in the room above the garage, or in his shed getting drunk. One that actually smiled and joked around like he did before my dad died. I have no doubt it's because of you, Effie. You've brought him back to life and I'm worried about what will happen when you leave tomorrow. I'm afraid he'll revert back to the half-life he was living before. He's the closest thing I have to a father, Effie, and I love him very much. I just thought you should know how much your being here has meant to him. To all of us."

Effie stood in silence, the wash rag limp in her hand. She was completely blown away by Katie's confession. She knew then that she couldn't leave tomorrow without telling them the truth, but first she had to talk to Haymitch. "Katie, I know it seems quick, but I've come to care for all of you a great deal this week as well. I can't make any promises about what will happen after I leave, but I want you to know that no matter what, it has been my honor getting to know you, your mother and Rosemary. Ok, even getting to know Haymitch, when he's not calling me Princess or Sweetheart, that is." She hugged Katie and felt warmth spread from her heart when the younger woman hugged her back. They finished the dishes in a much more comfortable silence then when they had started.

After everything was cleaned up, Katie went off in search of Rosemary and Pete, leaving Effie to find Haymitch. It was time to sit him down and find out just what game he's been playing at her expense.

After a search of the house proved fruitless, and the shed was found to be locked, Effie knew he had to be hiding out in his 'office' above the garage. Her nerves from yesterday returned as she climbed the stairs, taking them slowly in a feeble attempt to arrange her muddled thoughts, and feelings.

She opened the door without knocking and stepped inside, pausing to let her eyes adjust from the sunlight outside to the dim light of the room. He'd drawn the shades and the only light was coming from a reading lamp next to the couch against the far wall. She couldn't see Haymitch in the semi-dark, but she could sense he was there, watching her in the doorway.

"Come to finish me off, Sweetheart?" She heard his voice come from somewhere to the left, but she still couldn't see him.

Effie closed the door behind her and stepped further into the room. "Haymitch, I think it's time we talked about what's really going on here."

"And just what exactly do you mean by that, Princess?" He flipped on another small lamp, throwing a bit more light into the room. Once Effie's eyes adjusted to the additional light, she saw him sitting in a chair next to a large mahogany desk that was pushed up against the left side wall. The flask was sitting on the desk, along with a bottle of something pink.

Effie took a few more steps closer to Haymitch, but stayed far enough away that he wouldn't be able to reach out and grab her. "Yesterday I noticed the tattoo on your side. What does it mean?"

Haymitch looked at Effie with an eyebrow raised in question. "My tattoo? What does that have to do with anything?"

Effie shrugged and answered in a calm voice that belied the turmoil inside, "It just seems like a unique design, that's all. It must have some special meaning, though, since it's etched into your flask. Which reminds me – Seneca has the same flask with the same symbol. I saw it in his office the other day when he asked me to come here. So, the way I see it, you have 5 minutes to tell me just what the hell is going on or I'm going to go back to the house and tell them  _everything;_ including what's really in your moonshine shed. Then, I'm going to get my already packed suitcase and leave. I don't give a damn about the book or anything else anymore."

Effie trembled with unchecked emotion by the time she finished her speech. It wasn't what she had planned to say, but now that the words were out, she felt calm; as if a weight she didn't realize she'd been carrying had been lifted from her soul.

"You're right," Haymitch agreed, "Its past time for you to know the truth. I'll tell you everything and if you still want to leave afterwards, I won't stop you. The manuscript is on the desk and it's yours either way. You've earned it."

Effie shook her head, momentarily confused that he'd given in so easily. She took a beat to regain her composure then sat on the couch with her hands folded primly in her lap. "Alright then, proceed."

Haymitch sighed and took a swig from the flask before starting. "I'm not going to bore you with the details, but basically all of this was staged in order to get you to come here to Kentucky. I'd wanted to meet you for a while and since I couldn't leave Aster, this seemed like the perfect way. It made sense when we thought up the plan, but I guess in practice we were a bit off."

Effie was glad she'd been sitting down as her knees would have buckled with the truth. She could feel her anger rise at being tricked, but managed to keep it in check for now. "We? Who's we? Who else is involved in this plan?"

"Originally just me and Seneca but we needed to get Chaff on board for the whole thing to work." Haymitch admitted sheepishly. "I guess he had to pull in Sae at the last minute to convince Katie you really were who you said you were. That's it, though. Aster and the girls had nothing to do with any of it."

Effie was stunned. She wasn't sure which was more astonishing – that Seneca was involved or that the people in the diner went along with the ridiculous plan. "Wait. Seneca? How did he get involved? Was this another part of his deal with Snow?"

"Yeah, about that," Haymitch started, then ran his hand through his hair and took another drink from the flask. "The truth is….I own Snow Publishing. Well, technically it's owned by a corporation called District 13, which is made up of me, Seneca and Chaff, but you get the idea. The three of us were in the Army Special Forces during the first Gulf War, and a few other missions that you don't need to know about."

"After Ash died, I opted for early retirement to come back here and take care of the family. A few years later Chaff blew his hand off playing with a grenade and was discharged. Seneca opted not to reenlist and decided to pursue publishing. He knew about the stories Ash and I had made up as kids and wanted his firm to take a look. They passed, as did just about every other major publishing house in the country. Seneca wasn't happy with his job and Chaff's pension wasn't the best, so we decided to pool our resources and self-publish. District 13 was created to protect our individual identities and we borrowed Seneca's Grandfather's name, Coriolanus Snow, along with his likeness for the company image."

Effie couldn't stop herself from interrupting at this point. "But what about the contract? The bizarre demands? Seneca's back-door deal with Snow? Was that all made up as well?"

Haymitch smiled at this, "Yep. Every last bit of that was made up in order to drum up publicity for the first book. If everyone thought the author was some outrageous personality and that this young editor believed in it so much that he risked everything, it must certainly be worth reading. I knew the book was good and would stand up to any criticism. Seneca's cousin Plutarch is a marketing whiz in addition to being a ruthless intellectual property attorney. All of it was his idea and we've profited nicely as a result."

Effie struggled to take all of this information in to her brain. "So where do  _I_ fit into all of this?" She was ashamed to admit to herself that she was afraid of this answer the most.

"I had nothing to do with you being hired, if that's what you're worried about. Seneca was having trouble with some young writers meeting deadlines and he reached out to Plutarch to see if he knew of anyone who could help. Plutarch was familiar with your specific skill set from his marketing contacts and pointed Seneca in the right direction." Haymitch took yet another swig from the flask and then refilled it with whatever was in the pink bottle.

"I didn't even know you existed until two months ago. Once a month, we meet to review things for D13, and we alternate going to the city or coming here. The last time Chaff and I went to the city, we were in Seneca's office and I saw you out in the common area talking to some people. You were wearing a bright pink dress with the highest heels I'd ever seen. I could not take my eyes off of you and I knew I had to find out who you were. I couldn't just walk out and introduce myself because of the whole 'reclusive author' persona and Seneca didn't know you well enough at that point to trust you with the truth. We decided to use the story about his deal and the last book's deadline to come up with a way to get you to come to me." He stood up and sat next to her on the couch, taking her hands in his.

"Effie, you have to believe me when I tell you that I just wanted to meet you. I have never done anything like this before in my life and trust me I've done some pretty awful things in the name of God and Country. I didn't expect to fall so hard and so fast, but the truth is when you leave tomorrow you'll be taking my heart with you. I told you before you don't know the effect you can have and still mean it. You've worked your way into all of our hearts without even trying. I'm not going to beg you to stay; I just want you to think about what you feel and what would make you happy. We're not going anywhere and we'd love for you to be part of this family. For real this time." Before she could answer he leaned forward and captured her lips in a soft kiss that promised more, if she would only allow it.

"Pepto Bismol," Effie said as she pulled away from Haymitch.

"I pour out my heart and all you can say is Pepto Bismol?" Haymitch asked with a bit of humor in his confused voice.

"That's what you've been drinking out of the flask this whole time. It's not alcohol, it's Pepto!" Effie had to bite her tongue to stop from laughing at the absurdity.

"You got me," Haymitch admitted. "I have a very nervous stomach, especially when under a lot of stress. Besides, using the flask helps me keep up the worthless drunk façade."

"Haymitch, this is a lot to process right now. I'm going to go back to my room and lie down. I didn't get much sleep last night, and right now I just need to clear my head." Effie told him honestly.

"I understand. We'll talk more later. Ok?" He asked. Hope shined like a beacon from those silver eyes that had been her initial downfall.

Effie gave him a weak smile in response and stood up from the couch. She crossed to the desk and picked up the infamous manuscript lying there and looked over at Haymitch before leaving the room.

Effie walked in the front door of the house, fully intending to go up to the guest room and forget about everything Haymitch had just revealed to her for a while. Unfortunately, that was not to be as she was met at the door by a distraught Rosemary and an extremely pissed off Katie; the latter holding the dossier on Haymitch that Effie had brought with her from Snow Publishing.

"What the hell is this?" Katie accused as she angrily thrust the folder towards Effie.

"I'm so sorry!" cried Rosemary through her tears. "I went to your room to show you the new Vogue, and accidentally knocked your bag off the bed. All the papers fell out and I tried not to look while putting them back into the folder, but then I saw Haymitch's name and started reading. Katie found me there, and saw everything."

Effie couldn't be mad at the girl for looking. She knew she'd have done the same thing if she were in a similar situation.

"What is going on here, Effie? We let you into our home and our lives. I think we deserve an explanation." Katie demanded, betrayal simmering in her depths of her eyes.

Finally, after a week of stress and worry Effie's nerves reached their breaking point and she snapped, desperate to get away from the entire situation. "If you want to know the whole story, go ask Haymitch. He's the reason I'm here and the reason I'm leaving. I'm sorry I hurt you, but please understand I didn't know this was going to happen; it was never my intention. I'm sorry for betraying you, I'm sorry for lying to you and most of all I'm sorry I let my heart overrule my head."

She grabbed the folder from Katie and ran upstairs to get her things. She could hear Rosemary sobbing harder and felt another stab of guilt as tears pricked her own eyes. She had to leave. She had to get out of their lives before she made any more of a mess. Her heart broke at the thought of never seeing them all again, but she knew it was for the better. She had to go back to the city and her life there before she did something foolish like fall in love.

That though caused Effie to stop short. Was it too late? Had she already made the biggest mistake and given her heart away? From the pain she was feeling she knew the answer was yes. She'd foolishly fallen in love with Haymitch and the Everdeen ladies. This was bad, very bad.

Effie shoved the manuscript and folder into her attaché case and then picked up her suitcase and pocket book. With a last look around the room, she went back downstairs. No one was around, which was a relief because she didn't think she had it in her to say good bye.

She threw everything into her rental car and turned the key, causing the engine to roar to life. She then programmed the GPS to take her back to Lawrenceburg and the tiny Buzzard's Roost Airport. As Effie pulled away, she caught sight of Haymitch watching her from his perch above the garage. He looked as miserable as she felt and her resolve to leave wavered. With a deep breath, she put the car in gear and drove down the path to the trail that would lead her away from the house and its occupants. The tears started to pour from her eyes before she'd even come to the main road and Effie knew for certain she'd be leaving her heart in Kentucky.


	9. Chapter 9

The following Monday, Effie entered her office promptly at 8:10 am. This time, however, she carried with her an empty box in addition to her attaché case and pocketbook. She took the manuscript and folder out and placed them both on her desk. Then she fired up her computer and began composing a letter.

Twenty minutes later, she took her letter off the printer and signed it before attaching it to the manuscript with a paperclip. She then left her office and headed over to Seneca's, stopping on the way to drop the manila folder into the locked box with the other documents to be shredded at the end of the week.

Effie entered Seneca's office without so much as a knock, and slapped the manuscript on his desk, making him jump. He glanced at her as he picked it up and read the cover letter.

"He told you everything," Seneca stated plainly.

"Yes. You understand why I can't work here any longer. I'm officially giving my two week notice. I have several weeks of vacation time owed to me so I'd like to start it immediately." Effie tried hard to keep the emotion out of her voice; all she wanted to do was pack up her things and go back to her lonely apartment to cry some more.

Seneca leaned back in his chair and placed the manuscript back on the desk. He motioned for Effie to take a seat as well. "I just want you to know that I told him it was a bad idea to put you in that situation from the beginning. As I'm sure you learned, Haymitch can be a stubborn son of a bitch when he wants something, and he wanted to meet you pretty badly. I'm very sorry for how you were mistreated and I understand why you want to leave but I want to ask one more favor before I accept your resignation. Take this vacation time and think about what Haymitch did, and why he did it. Don't make any big decisions right now while everything is still so fresh in your mind. Trust me, Effie. I would never have agreed to his ridiculous scheme if I didn't think the end result would be worthwhile. You're a good employee but you're an even better person and I think you could be good for each other. Just promise me you'll go home and think it all through before deciding to give up on him."

The tears Effie had been trying to keep at bay had been streaming down her cheeks while Seneca spoke. She knew he was right, that she was still too close to the situation; it was still too raw for her to make any rational decision. "Ok, Seneca. I'll think about everything before deciding whether or not to leave for good. Thank you." Effie stood and extended her hand to him.

He stood up and came around the desk, ignoring her hand to pull her into a warm embrace. "He's worth it, Effie. I promise you." Seneca whispered into her ear before letting go.

_hehehehehe_

Two weeks later, Effie sat at her kitchen table reading an article in the morning newspaper about the mad rush to get  _Song of the Mockingjay_  printed in time for the dual release. A knock at the door breaks the silence, and Effie furrowed her brow in confusion as she folded the paper and placed it on the table.  _'Who in the world could that be?'_ she thought to herself as she walked to the door. Erring on the side of caution, Effie looked through the peephole and felt her breath whoosh out of her at the sight of Haymitch Abernathy standing on the other side of the door. He looked to be alone and judging by his haggard appearance, he wasn't handling things any better than she was.

Effie counted to five to try and steady her suddenly racing heart, then unlocked the door and opened it up to him.

They regarded at each other across the threshold, blue and grey locked in a tense standoff. So many questions, accusations, emotions filled the void between them.

Years of ingrained manners won out, though, and Effie opened the door wider to invite him inside. After closing the door however, she remained next to it, unsure of how to proceed.

"So, sweetheart. How've you been?" Haymitch asked cautiously.

"Fine, thank you." Effie replied, equally cautious, "I see the book is going to make it on time to be released with the movie."

"Yeah…yeah…" he trailed off without finishing.

They stood there, just staring at each other, for another few minutes. Finally, Haymitch caved and crossed over to where she was standing. "Look, Effie, Katie told me what happened and why you left so quickly. Well, actually she demanded I tell her what was going on and then proceeded to yell at me for being such a 'pig-headed chauvinistic sorry excuse for a man'. Her words." He admitted sheepishly.

"She and Ro haven't talked to me since then but I do hear them talk to each other about how much they miss you, and how badly I treated you, and if I really loved you, I'd go get you and bring you home."

Effie had been looking away but the words 'loved you' caught her attention, her head snapping up to lock eyes with him. Her heart did a somersault in her chest at what she thought she saw shimmering in the molten pools of silver, but she was wary of getting her hopes up.

"Loved me?" she whispered to him.

"Princess, I think it's fairly obvious that I am head over heels in love with you and have been since I saw you in that pink dress. I'm puttin' it all on the line here, sweetheart. I love you, Aster and the girls love you and we want you to come home." She stood there, dumbfounded. Throughout her entire life, all Effie had ever wanted was a family of her one, one that loved her, and needed her. Her resolve began to weaken at the vulnerable look in his eye.

"But what about your privacy? What about the 'drunken recluse author' persona you've been working all these years to perfect?" she asked him with a hint of a smile.

"The hell with it!" he bellowed. "Plutarch thinks it's time for us to come clean about everything anyway. The last book is done and the publicity will only make the movies that much more popular."

Haymitch stepped closer, taking both of her hands in his, and raising them to his lips for a soft kiss. "What do you say, sweetheart? Will you come back to Kentucky and join our crazy little family?"

Effie thought about how miserable she'd been the last couple of weeks; how miserable she'd actually been for quite some time. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been as happy as the week she'd spent with Haymitch and the girls. She looked into his quicksilver eyes, the eyes that had mesmerized her from the very beginning and knew with certainty what her answer would be.

"Yes, Haymitch. I'll come back to Kentucky with you." She told him with a smile that matched his own. "I do have one condition, though."

"Anything!" he replied, "you name it and it's yours."

"Tell the girls what's really in the shed so they don't interrupt us again." Effie reached up and wrapped her arms around Haymitch's neck. She stood on her toes and met his lips with hers, making sure to pour all of her feelings into that one kiss.

"You're golden, sweetheart," he replied as he responded with a kiss of his own; one that was full of the promise of what was to come, and Effie knew that this time, there would be no interruptions, no lies and nothing standing in the way of their happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the full version of “Writer’s Block”, which was written for the Spring Fling Fic Exchange on AO3 in 2013. It’s based on a prompt submitted by Ameiko, and partially inspired by the film A History of Violence, starring Viggo Mortensen & Maria Bello (my head-canon for this story). 
> 
> A huge thank you to Titania522 for beta-ing this beast, and to Honeylime08 & Bundandbrushes for pre-reading portions. I also want to thank Ro Nordmann for creating such a terrific banner (on Tumblr). You ladies rock my world!
> 
> Lastly, I want to thank everyone who donated to Fandom4LLS. Whether it was just for the collection of stories, or for the cause itself, your support means the world to those suffering from blood cancers. As the sister of someone who has been living with Leukemia for more than half their life I can personally attest to the difference fundraisers like these make in the fight against the disease. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to every person who participated, and especially to those who spent countless hours putting together the Fandom4LLS website, and collection.


End file.
